Causes of the First World War

Causes of the First World War

Imperialism

• When one country extends it’s authority over another country or territory for the soul purpose of exploiting it’s Natural Resources (coal, oil, people, trade etc..)

• Two types: Formal (military moves in) Informal (weaker country relies on protection or trade)

• 1914 Europe and it’s possession accounted for 84 percent of the World’s landmass.

• Look at map of Africa on page 334

African Colonization

Imperial Wars 0f the 19th Century• Boer War (South African War) 1899 -1902 – British wage a

war for control of South Africa. Germany aids the South African Boers

• Crimean War – Control over the territories of the Weakening Ottoman Empire. British and French block the expansion of Russia into the Balkans (eventually Austria will Annex Bosnia from the Ottomans creating Tension between Russia and Austria

• Russo-Japanese war of 1905 – Japenese deliver a crushing blow to the Russian Navy and expand on the East coast of Asia

Nationalism

• Intense Patriotic feelings or efforts towards ones country

• A desire to preserve ones language and culture• Leads to the unification of Germany and Italy upsetting

the balance of power in Europe• Reverse effect for the Austrians and the Ottomans.

Smaller ethnic groups were clamoring for their independence

• Governments would use Nationalism to motivate their populations to Total War

Wars of Nationalism• Franco- Prussian war between France and Prussia was more

of a war of unification• Otto Von Bismarck had created the Northern Confederation

of German States• Insulted Louis Napoleon and Napoleon declares war• Prussia wins in six months. France hands over 100 million

Francs and the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine (France is not happy)

• Balkan wars of 1912 and 1913. Serbia gains independence from the Ottomans. The spead of Serbian nationalism throughout the Austrian and Ottoman empires

System of Alliances

• Triple Entente – France, Russia, and England• Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria – Hungary and Italy• Pan-Slavism: The movement by Russian nationalist to

gain influence and power over Serbia by calling on all slavic people in the Balkans to unite under their leadership (the protector of Slavic peoples) against Austria

• Britain had an unwritten agreement going back to 1832 that they would protect the interests of the Belgians

Militarism (Arms Race)• Government policy to focus, expand and improve it’s military• Some believed that his would deter others from attacking• Improvements in mass production lead to countries being

able to supply million man armies• French could mobilize 4 million Germany could mobilize 4.5

million and the Russians 6 million• Industrial Revolution created massive economies that could

afford to spend billions one armaments• Britain had 2 714 000 tones of warships (control of the

seas=control of empire and trade)

Militarism contunied

• Armaments are big business. Improved military technology lead to allies buying from you

• Private business was constantly making better military technology everyday

• No return on investment unless you invade another country and take over more resources

• Countries had a false sense of security that they could not be beat (nationalism helped here as well)