• Economic cause
• Economic effect
• Social cause
• Social effect
• Political cause
• Political effect
• Ideological cause
• Ideological effect

Activity: Choose two wars and identify their type. Make a mind map about it.
Examples of war

• Read pages 7-18

Before analyzing the causes, it’s necessary to review an earlier conflict: The
Franco-
Prussian War

Earlier Franco-Prussian War conflict
(1870-1871)
• Otto von Bismarck consolidated the 39 separate Germanic states into a new German state.
• The two largest were Prussia and
Austria.
• Three wars were developed to achieve his aim: Denmark,
Austria and France
• Prussia’s modern technology as use of railways to deliver men and material, was effective in defeating France in January 1871.

Earlier Franco-Prussian War conflict
(1870-1871)
• Severe terms:
1. France lost Alsace-Lorraine.
2. Indemnity of 5,000 million marks
3. Prussian occupation of French parts.
4. King of Prussia was proclaimed
German Emperor in the Palace of Versailles in January, 1871.

Earlier Franco-Prussian War conflict
(1870-1871)
• Consequences:
1. Political and socio-economic problems manifested as a revanche movement.
2. Internationally,
Germany became dominant in
Europe.

Earlier Franco-Prussian War conflict
(1870-1871)
3. Emphasis in modern warfare:
• rapid mobilization and fast deployment
• educated and competent army
• able to plan and coordinate the use of railways.

LONG-TERM CAUSES OF WORLD WAR I
Introduction
• Germany created nervousness among other
European countries because of economic and military potential.
• French was hostile towards Germany because the humiliation of the war in 1871 and the loss of Alsace-
Lorraine.
• Germany worked on consolidating its position and power in Europe without applying an aggressive foreign policy but web of alliances.
• Germany’s main aim was to keep France isolated and have Russia as an ally to avoid a two-front war.

• Created by the German
Chancellor Bismarck and the first ruler Kaiser
Wilhelm I:

1873
The Dreikaiserbund of three
Emperors ’ League
1879
The Dual Alliance
1881
Austro-Serbian
Alliance
Jointed Germany, Russia and
Austria-Hungary into an alliance, keeping Frnace
Isolated
1882
The Triple Alliance
Germany and Austria-
Hungary made an alliance to protect themselves from Russia
Austria-Hungary made an alliance with Serbia to stop Russia gaining control of Serbia
1887
The Reinsurance Treaty
Germany and Austria-
Hungary made an alliance with Italy to stop
Italy from taking sides with Russia
The Three Emperor Alliance fell to pieces due to
Balkans prolems in 1885.
This separate treaty with
Russia avoid risk of a war on two fronts.

• The young Kaiser Wilhelm II, overturned Bismarck’s alliances.
• The lapse of The Reinsurance
Treaty with Russia, created the conditions for Franco-Russian
Alliance in 1894.
• France was free of its isolation and Germany could face now a war of two fronts.
• There was a political anti-British clause

• A policy that would increase the global strength of Germany through building up the German navy and colonial expansion.
• Benefit: Divert the German population away from the social and political problems at home.
• Supported by patriotic groups such as the Pan-German League

• A country takes over new lands or countries and rule them becoming its colonies.
• Europeans dominated countries in Africa and the
Far East competing to build vast empires.
• It was driven by economic motives as cheap raw material, new markets and low-cost labour forces.

5. The emergence of the alliance system
• In 1897, Germany mounted a naval challenge to Britain building 17 ships in the next 7 years.
• The British Splendid Isolation was no longer useful.
• Britain started to seek security through alliances:
1.
1902 with Japan to defend the Far
East and bring back warships from this area.
2.
1907 with Russia to reduce British concern in India and the Far East.
3.
Russia, France and Britain joined together in the Triple Entente.
4.
Europe was divided in two alliance systems: The Triple Entente and the
Triple Alliance.

• 1906- Britain launched a superbattleship; HMS Dreadnought, its speed, range and firepower were superior to all the others.
• A competitor then could construct similar battleships and catch up with
Britain.
• 1909- As Germany rapidly expanded its fleet, Britain ordered the construction of 8 battleships more.
• Britain’s population willingness to go to war in 1914 owed a lot to tensions generated by the naval race.

• Unstable area that contributed to the tensions in Europe before 1914.
• Three empires had interests there:
Turkey, Austria-
Hungary and Russia.

1. TURKEY:
• It had once ruled over the whole of the Balkans.
• But Serbs, Greeks and
Bulgars revolted and set up their own independent states.
• Turkey struggled to hold on to its remaining Balkan territories.

2. Austria-Hungary:
• It was a multi-ethnic empire.
• The most forceful in their demands for independence were the southern Slavs composed by the Serbs,
Croats and Slovens.
• They wanted to form a South
Slav kingdom with the support of their neighbor,
Serbia.
• Austria-Hungary considered
Serbia as a threat.

3. Russia:
• It sympathized with
Slavs and saw itself as the champion of them.
• Because ports in the north of Russian’s vast empire iced over for 6 months of the year, the
Balkans were strategic for Russian ships route from the
Mediterranean to the
Black Sea on warmwater ports.

4. Growing tension in the Balkans after
1900
• 1903- The pro-Austrian King
Alexander of Serbia was murdered.
• The Russophile King Peter replaced him and was determined to reduce
Austro-Hungarian influence.
• Austria-Hungary feared the influence of a strong Serbia on their multiethnic empire.
• Austria’s foreign minister believed that an agressive foreign policy on
Serbia would stamp out their aspirations.