World War I

Reflection

• "The war that will end all war." –H.G. Wells

World War I

The Beginnings

WWI

• Known as “The Great War” or the “war to end all wars”

Seeds of Conflict

• Economics

– Britain, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia and Italy were trying to expand their empires

• Nationalism

– France wanted revenge on the Germans for the loss of land in the Franco-Prussian war (1870-1871)

– Austria- Hungary worried about Serbian activities in the Balkans

Seeds of Conflict

• Militarism and Alliances – Militarism: policy of

aggressive military preparedness

– Alliance system: international combination of states • Otto von Bismarck created

League of Three Emperors (1872)

– Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia

• Italy joined the Austro-German alliance which became the Triple alliance

Seeds of Conflict

• 1890’s Russia and France signed a secret military alliance in which they agreed to come to each others aid if attacked by Austria Hungary or Germany or both

• 1904 Entente Cordiale between France and Britain

– Russia and Britain solved issues and became the Triple Entente

– Triple Entente vs. Triple Alliance

Outbreak of the War

• June 28, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Heir to the throne of Austria) went to Sarajevo, Bosnia – Planned to give the Slavs

more equal role in the Austria-Hungarian government when he became emperor

– Bomb got thrown at his motorcade, it missed, but injured a half a dozen people behind them

– Eventually shot by 19 year old Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian student

Outbreak of the War

• Gavrilo Princip was one of 7 Union of Death or Black Hand assassins lined up on the parade route

• The Austrian- Hungarian leaders held the Serbians responsible for the assassination

– Encouraged by the Germans to think like this

• “blank check”

Ultimatum

• July 23, 1914 Serbia couldn’t (or wouldn’t) accept the terms of interrogation about the assassination

• July 28,1914 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia

– Many European powers tried to stay out of the war

• Russia acted first, with Germany saying to stay out, also told France not to interfere

War

• August 1st, 1914 Germany declared war on Russia and two days later on France

• Britain managed to stay neutral for a little while during negotiations

– Didn’t make is apparent if they were going to support Russia and France

• Germany marched into Luxemburg and demanded passage across Belgium

Britain’s Entry

• Belgium was a neutral country• Belgium refused and asked Britain for help (August

3rd Germany invaded Belgium) • August 4th British had no choice but to declare war

on Germany

Classwork

• Using the map provided find and label (and color):

Austria-Hungary GermanyBritainFranceRussia Italy Belgium Luxemburg