PowerPoint Presentation Britain had an agreement to defend neutral Belgium against invasion, leaving no question about ... PowerPoint Presentation Author: default Created Date:

»11/4/2015

»1

Many Canadians (who were descendants of the British Empire) believed in:

Imperialism Militarism Nationalism Industrialization

Gaining control over other countries using Trade Politics War

Great Britain held control over Canada; we were still part of the

British Empire.

Accepting war and military force as the only way to solve conflicts. Militarism also gives a nation pride.

»11/4/2015

»2

Exaggerated patriotism

Doing things your way ALL THE TIME without thinking how it affects other countries.

How might these beliefs lead countries to war?

Many Canadians were happy to be part of the British Empire. Think about why this would be… People in Quebec had mixed feelings. Why?

»11/4/2015

»3

1899 The Boer War broke out in a

British colony in Africa and Canada sent a volunteer army.

English Canadians wanted to go. French Canadians did not.

Great Britain asked Canada to help build the Empire’s navy. Prime Minister Laurier made a small Royal

Canadian Navy to protect our shores but to also be loaned to Great Britain. It was a weak navy; many people called it our TIN

POT NAVY.

»11/4/2015

»4

Besides: Imperialism Militarism Nationalism Industrialization Also: Alliances Terrorism

By 1910, the possibility of conflict in Europe was inevitable. Countries promised to protect one another in times

of war. This obviously encouraged conflict.

Triple Entente France Great Britain Russia

Triple Alliance Germany Austria-Hungary Italy

»11/4/2015

»5

Many groups tried to use terrorism to get what they wanted.

At this time, Bosnia was controlled by Austria-Hungary and they didn’t want to be. They wanted independence.

The next king of Austria who was visiting Bosnia.

Many Serbs lived in Bosnia and wanted Bosnia freed from Austrian rule.

They warned the Archduke that he’d be killed if he came to Bosnia.

»11/4/2015

»6

In Sarajevo, a young Serbian, Gavirilo Princip, assassinated the Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie.

Princip was a member of the Black Hand, a terrorist organization.

Ferdinand arriving in Sarajevo

Their goals were to fight for the independence of Serbia.

If the fight had stayed between Austria and Serbia, it would have been over quickly.

It didn’t…

A threat from one country to another. Austria-Hungary gave Serbia an ultimatum: Let its forces into Serbia to find the Black Hand.

Serbia said no and asked Russia to back them up. The Russians agreed. This was the first step in a very short timeline

leading to war.

»11/4/2015

»7

A new country, made up of many small states of the Prussian Empire.

They had, in 1870, defeated France in the Franco-Prussian War, so there were some hard feelings between the two countries.

In short, Wilhelm (William) I was the Kaiser (King) of Germany and Otto van Bismarck was his Chancellor (like a Prime Minister).

When Wilhelm I died, Wilhelm

II became Kaiser and fired Bismarck. This marked the beginning of Germany’s change in philosophy. Wilhelm II inspecting generals

Had Big Plans for Germany: First of all, he broke an agreement with

Russia that made the two countries allies (1894).

This worried Russia, who then allied with France.

The Kaiser also had a four-point plan to make Germany the world’s greatest nation.

»11/4/2015

»8

The building of a high-seas fleet:

Wilhelm wanted a navy that would be as strong or stronger than England’s.

Increased spending on new armaments and equipment to make the German Army the most powerful in the world.

Sound like someone’s preparing for war?

The development of a German overseas empire like the one that England had all over the world.

Something like ‘manifest destiny’, only Germany wanted a piece of the pie.

»11/4/2015

»9

He wanted to develop an aggressive foreign policy on issues around the world.

William II wanted Germany to be seen as a power broker on the international scene, like England was.

It kind of backfired…

Russia allied itself with France, forming the what was then called the Double Entente in 1894.

This was bad news for the Kaiser because Germany would fight a two-front war when it broke out. What does that mean?

A two-front war meant that Germany would attack France first (still weak from the Franco-Prussian War) and destroy it.

After that, Germany would attack Russia, transporting soldiers using its sophisticated railway system.

At this point, Germany wasn’t counting on England joining the conflict.

»11/4/2015

»10

It is a fact that they were almost allies.

In fact, the Kaiser was ½ English and a grandson of Queen Victoria.

The British felt his policies were too harsh and looked to ally with France and Russia (and did so in 1907).

Although the 3 countries didn’t really trust one another, they joined forces.

They had an agreement to work together should one of their members be threatened.

The formation of the Entente divided Europe into two armed camps with Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy (Triple Alliance) on one side, and on the other France, Russia and England (Triple Entente).

»11/4/2015

»11

And Gavrilo Princip was just the spark to propel the world into its inevitable war.

»11/4/2015

»12

Serbia asked Russia for help in the event of the probable Austria-Hungary invasion.

Russia asked France for help. They knew that Austria-Hungary

wouldn’t come alone.

Germany promised to help Austria-Hungary.

Italy promised to help Germany and Austria-Hungary ONLY IF they were both invaded. Not if Germany or A-H did the

invading.

Austria consulted Germany after the assassination.

Germany agreed to support Austria, no matter what they did.

Austria decided to declare war on Serbia (July 28).

That started a chain reaction.

When a country mobilizes, its army is preparing for war.

Since Austria-Hungary knew it would take only a small army to crush Serbia, it only prepared a small army.

»11/4/2015

»13

Austro-Hungarian Troops Mobilize Remember, Russia had agreed to protect Serbia in the event of an invasion. Because of this agreement, the Russian army also began to mobilize its ENTIRE

ARMY (not just a small force as Austria-Hungary did).

Kaiser Wilhelm II demanded that the Russians stop mobilizing or they’d face war.

Russia refused to abandon its defense of Serbia.

Germany declared war on Russia on August 1, 1914.

Remember, the Germans weren’t ready to fight Russia first, so they needed to know where France stood. They contacted France and demanded France to stay neutral.

France said that it would support its allies and began mobilizing.

On August 2, the German army began pushing into Luxembourg in order to attack France.

»11/4/2015

»14

An ultimatum was sent to Belgium, demanding free passage of the German army through Belgium (on their way to France), or else there would be war.

Belgium was given twelve hours to decide.

It refused and asked the Entente for help.

August 3 - Germany declared

war on France.

August 4 – Germany receives Belgium’s refusal and invades Belgium to march to France.

And Great Britain? Where does it stand?

Paris Reacts to the Declaration of War

Most people in England were not interested in events developing in the rest of Europe (called ISOLATIONISM).

However, when the Germans threatened neutral Belgium (a show of MILITARISM), it caused a massive outcry among the British public. The British government quickly sent an ultimatum to Germany demanding it respect

Belgium's independence. The Germans did not answer.

August 4, 1914 - England declared war upon Germany. When England declared war, she also brought the full weight of the British Empire. Countries like Canada, South Africa, Australia and India were all to play an important role

in the allied war effort.

»11/4/2015

»15

When Germany invades Belgium…

Great Britain had an agreement to defend neutral Belgium against invasion, leaving no question about its entry into the war in Europe.

As part of the British Empire, Canada is also in the war. Despite our relatively young nationhood.

»11/4/2015

»16

Italy stayed true to its promise to France and England that it wouldn’t get involved, despite its alliance with Germany.

The Italian government then told the German government that they did not have to go to war because Germany had started an offensive war.

The conditions of the Triple Alliance stated that Italy only had to fight if two or more countries attacked Germany or Austria-Hungary.

Italy did not have to go to war and declared itself neutral, actually joining the Allies against Germany in 1915.

With war declared, countries began allying themselves to either side.

Support for Germany came from Austria-Hungary and later Turkey and Bulgaria.

On the Allied side, a large number of countries joined because of the pull of the British Empire. England, France, Russia, Serbia, Luxembourg, Belgium,

Portugal, Japan, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, India and Australia made up the initial forces that opposed Germany.

Much later - in 1917 - the United States joined the Allies.