“MAIN”

Long term causes:

Militarism

Alliances

Imperialism

Nat’lism

M: Militarism or Arms Race

Armies and navies were greatly expanded

FR & DE - armies 2x in size

Naval expansion competitive especially btwn DE and GB

British Dreadnought

Conscription = military draft

Ex. GB & US

M: Militarism

Plans for mobilization

Ex. Schlieffen Plan

German Chief of Staff Alfred von

Schlieffen
2 front war scenario

Outlined a plan to conquer FR w/in 5 wks b4
RU could effectively mobilize for war on the
E. Front (estimated at 6 wks)

A: Alliances

The forming of alliances between

European countries
Three Emperors League - DE, AH, RU

Dual Alliance after RU backed out

The Triple Alliance - DE, AH, IT

The Triple Entente – FR, GB, RU

A: Alliances Continued

Secret Franco-Italian Alliance

IT neutral if DE attacked FR

Triple Alliance meaningless now

1887-1890 Reinsurance Treaty – DE
& RU

If FR v. DE

If RU v. AH

Franco Russian Agreements

A: Alliances Continued

Entente Cordiale – GB & FR

Triple Entente with RU

Not militarily binding, but a “moral obligation”

Treaty of London 1839

Committed GB to defend BE neutrality

RU pledge to protect Serbia

I: Imperialism

GB, DE, FR needed foreign markets after the increase in manufacturing caused by the Industrial Rev.

These countries competed for econ expansion

N: Nat’lism

Different ethnic groups struggling for independence and unification

Ex. Serbia thought Bosnia should be under their control as opposed to AH since Serbs + Bosnians are both Slavic

Bismarck built a DE Empire

FR wanted Alsace-Lorraine back from DE

Short term causes

June 28, 1914

Archduke Francis Ferdinand

Heir to AH throne

Assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia by Serbian
 nationalists
Black Hand

AH convinced that Serbian gov’t had conspired against them

Aftermath of Assassination

DE pledged full support aka “Blank

Check” to AH
FR strengthened backing of RU

AH made impossible demands 
Serbia

Declaration of War

July 28 AH declared war on Serbia

July 29 RU ordered a partial
 mobilization only against AH
August 1 DE declared war on RU

August 3 DE declared war on FR

DE invasion of Belgium to attack FR prompted GB to declare war on DE