WORLD WAR I
World War I, Great War, War to
End All Wars, War to make the
world safe for democracy
UNDERLYING CAUSES OF
WORLD WAR I
• 1. The Rise of Nationalism
• a) feeling of unity among those who share a
common language, history, or culture (led to
fragmentation of Austrian-Hungarian Empire but
also led to the unification of Germany and Italy;
• b) belief that loyalty to one's nation comes
before any other loyalty (an exaggerated form of
patriotism)
• c)Led to strife because the goals of one nation
eventually came into conflict with those of
another. National pride was quick to take
offense.
UNDERLYING CAUSES OF
WORLD WAR I
• 2. The Rise of Militarism:
Nationalism supported the
use of force to gain a
country's goals. Germany
began building its navy to
challenge the supremacy of
the British on the seas.
• 1906 Great Britain launched
the Dreadnought, the first
modern battleship.
UNDERLYING CAUSES OF
WORLD WAR I
• 3. Imperialism: resulted in competition among European
nations for colonies.
Imperialism and the Balance of Power
UNDERLYING CAUSES OF
WORLD WAR I
• 4. System of Military
Alliances:
''entangling
alliance's"
• a. Triple Alliance
(1882): Germany,
Austria-Hungary,
Italy
• b. Triple Entente
(1907)1 Great
Britain, France,
Russia
UNDERLYING CAUSES OF
WORLD WAR I
 Intellectual context
 No memory of war –
 last major war in Europe was the brief FrancoPrussian War in 1870
 100 years since the Napoleonic Wars
 Social Darwinism and irrational philosophy
often promoted war as a method of progress
and human advance
 Predictions declare that war will be brief and
decisive due to technological advancements
UNDERLYING CAUSES OF
WORLD WAR I
 Family rivalries
 George V of England
 William II of Germany
 Nicholas II of Russia
IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF THE
WAR
• 1. June 28, 1914: Archduke
Francis Ferdinand, heir to the
Austrian throne, and his wife,
Sophia, were killed by a 16
year old Serbian student,
Gavrilo Princip, who was a
member of the Black Hand, a
terrorist group. They had
been on a good will visit to
build support for a Triple
Monarchy as a way to quell
ethnic tensions.
IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF THE WAR
• 2. Austria believed the government of
Serbia was behind the assassination
• 3. This occurred in Sarajevo in Bosnia
which recently became a province of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was part of
the Balkans which was known as the
Powderkeg of Europe. Austria believed the
government of Serbia was behind the
assassination
Why was the Balkans a
“Powderkeg”?
• In the late 19th century, Slavic nationalism grew.
Wanted independence for all southern Slavs –
no Austria-Hungary; no Ottoman Empire
• Originally looked to Russia as protector of all
Slavs. After the Berlin Congress, Russia lost
interest in Balkans and looked to Asia to fulfill its
imperialist ambitions. Revolution of 1905 and
loss in Russo-Japanese War further weakened
Russia. Lack of active Russian involvement in
the Balkans left southern Slavs to fend for
themselves. Serbs tried to take advantage of
the power vacuum.
Why was the Balkans a
“Powderkeg”?
• Complication: Austria, Russia, and
Serbs were concerned about the
Young Turk movement in the
Ottoman Empire which sought to
regain Turkish control of the
Balkans.
• 1908 Austria and Russia meet to
support each other in the region.
Call for international conference
– Austria would annex BosniaHerzegovina; Russia would demand
open access to the straits
Ahmet Riza
Why was the Balkans a
“Powderkeg”?
• First Balkan Crisis:
– 1908 Austria annexes Bosnia and Herzegovina before
any conference. Angers Russia and Serbia
– Results:
• Austria moves into Bosnia-Herzegovina
• International support for Russia’s demand for open access to
the straits breaks down (no British or French support)
• Bulgaria gains independence from Ottoman Empire
• Unification of Greece and Crete
• Slavic nationalism increases, begin to form secret nationalist
groups – (Black Hand – 1911)
Why was the Balkans a
“Powderkeg”?
• Second Balkan
Crisis
– 1911 Italy declares
war on Ottoman
Empire. Italy wins
forcing Ottoman
Empire to cede
Libya and a few
islands to Italy.
Further weakens
Ottoman Empire’s
stature in the region
Why was the Balkans a
“Powderkeg”?
• First Balkan War: 1912 Balkan League (Serbia,
Greece, Bulgaria and Montenegro) declares war
on Ottoman Empire and take Macedonia.
• Victors squabble over spoils of war
– Serbia resentment of Bulgaria’s designs on
Macedonia
– Serbia refused control of Albania at peace conference
by Austria, Italy and Germany; Russia humiliated
again
• Leads to Second Balkan War
Why was the Balkans a
“Powderkeg”?
• Second Balkan War: 1913 Bulgaria faced off
with the other Balkan nations (Greece, Serbia,
Romania) and the Ottoman Empire
• Bulgaria was easily defeated
• Results:
– Squabbling among victors (again)
– Austria gets international support to keep control of
Albania from Serbia (still landlocked)
– Heightened animosity between Serbia and Austria
– Russia, humiliated again, convinced they must save
face in next crisis
BEGINNING OF THE WORLD
WAR I
• After the assassination of Franz
Ferdinand:
• A. Austria looked to Germany for support.
Kaiser Wilhelm gave Austria (his only
reliable ally) a “blank check” to settle the
ethnic issue permanently.
• Serbia looked to its ally Russia. Russia
looked to France for support.
BEGINNING OF THE WORLD
WAR I
• B. Austria declared war on Serbia on July
28, 1914. Russia began to mobilize.
Germany declared war on Russia August
1, 1914 and against France on August 3,
1914. Germany invaded neutral Belgium
and in response the British declared war
on Germany on August 4, 1914.
BEGINNING OF THE WORLD
WAR I
• C. August 4, 1914 Wilson declares
American neutrality