Autonomy and
International
Involvement Unit
Causes of World War One:
Long Term
Major themes/concepts
M
A
I
N
ilitarism
lliances
mperialism
ationalism
Militarism
What does militarism mean?
• Policy of building up of armed forces, getting ready for war ( Offensive vs. defensive)
• Which countries do you think were most powerful militarily?
• Who had the greatest navy?
• Britain
• Who had the greatest army?
• Russia
Militarism
1910-1914 increase in defence
expenditures ( spending
France
10%
Britain
13%
Russia
39%
Germany
73%
• Examine this table. What do you notice?
• Germany is spending more money than the other powerful countries
• Germany definitely wants power and may become a problem with the others
• An arms race ensued between the main countries
• Britain and France were appalled at Germany’s
aggressiveness in acquiring arms and an army/navy
• Between 1870 and 1914, the armies of both France and
Germany doubled
Why was Germany now only acquiring arms?
• Industrialization ( remember the Revolution in Britain) came
late to Germany. As well, the country UNIFIED late in the 19th
century
• She started to want a “ place “ in Europe. Thus, she started to
make her mark
• A naval competition also ensued between Germany and Britain .
This was known as “ANGLO-GERMAN RIVALRY”
• Germany knew that whoever controlled the seas, commanded great
world and political power. This also gave Germany the opportunity
to acquire colonies (IMPERIALISM)
• Britain introduced the “DREADNOUGHT
• What do you think dreadnought means?
• “fear nothing”
• In 1906, these ships made all other ships
obsolete. They were fast and equipped
heavy artillery
By 1914, the arms race was well on its way… Britain had 19
dreadnoughts and the Germans had 13
Alliances
• An alliance is an agreement made between two or more
countries to each other help if it is needed.
• When an alliance is signed, those countries become ALLIES
• The alliance system was created Otto von Bismarck, a Prussian
( German) statesman and military strategist.
What can you foresee as a potential problem with creating
alliances?
- If you have to many, you might not keep track
- Eventually, countries may have alliances with each
other
- Alliances force countries to fight or act even if they
do not agree or feel the issue warrants their
involvement.
• The country that was most scared about Germany’s rise in
power was France
• Bismarck picked a war with France in order to help create a
new country that would be known as GERMANY
• Before this time, Germany represented a number of separate
states.
• In the Franco-Prussian War (1870), France was defeated and
lost Alsace-Lorraine, a territory the Germans claimed
belonged to them and which had many people of German
descent living there ( Capital: Strasbourg)
th
Major alliances of the 19
century
1879
Dual Alliance
1881
Austro-Serbian Alliance
1882
Triple Alliance
1894
Franco-Russian Alliance
1904
Entente Cordiale
1907
Anglo-Russian Entente
1907
Triple Entente
Imperialism
• Refers to when a country takes over new lands or countries and
makes them subjects to their rule.
• By 1900, the British Empire extended over 5 continents and France
had large areas of Africa.
• The amount of lands France and Britain owed made it difficult for
Germany to acquire its own colonies or lands
• Nonetheless, the Germans were eager to get a foothold in Africa
and other territories
• Kaiser Wilhelm II declared this quest as Germany’s
“Place in the Sun”
How do you think the other Imperial Powers reacted with this term or
concept?
• The only country left was Morocco.
Moroccan Crisis, 1904
• France acquires Morocco from Britain
• The Moroccans wanted independence and received HELP from
the Germans who stated vaguely that they were simply “
looking for a their place in the sun.”
• This made France very MAD
• War was avoided but tensions started up again in 1911.
Eventually, Germany received a part of the French Congo and
so she backed down from the conflict
Nationalism
• Means being a strong supporter of the rights and interests of one’s country or
even culture or heritage (ethnicity)
• There were many nationalities who where exerting their sense of independence
at the turn of the century:
1. Germany had just unified and acquired a territory long
held by France
2. Italy also had just unified
3. Russians were looking to other “Slavic” nations or ethnic groups
Sick Man of Europe: Turkey ( Ottoman Empire)
• Used to be a great empire but was slowly being taken over by others especially
Austria-Hungary
The Great Austrian-Hungarian Empire:
- This particular Empire included different states or nations within it:
- Austria
- Hungary
- Balkan States ( slowly acquiring)
The Balkans: Powder Keg of
Europe
• Where are the Balkans located:
• South Europe along the Adriatic and Mediterranean Coasts
opposite Italy and near Turkey and Greece
Conflict in the Balkans
• Austria Hungary acquires Bosnia, an ethnic province in the
Balkans which actually includes a number of different ethnic
groups
• One state in the Balkans included Serbia who felt that the
Serbs living in Bosnia should be part of Serbia. To them, this
territory was considered theirs
• The Russians promoted a concept known as Pan-Slavism
which meant that they offered assistance to all ethnic groups
who shared the “Slavic language” with them.
• The Slav groups greatly resented being a part of the AustrianHungarian Empire and a number of rebellions ensued
• Thus, this area became known as the “POWDER KEG OF
EUROPE”