WWI EMPIRES AND CAUSES OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR. Ottoman Turkish Empire The Ottoman Turkish Empire was the “middle” point between East and West and in the.

WWIEMPIRES AND CAUSES OF THE FIRST

WORLD WAR

Ottoman Turkish EmpireThe Ottoman Turkish Empire was the “middle” point

between East and West and in the 1500-1600’s they were the world power. You can see on the map below that the

Turkish Empire was expansive.

Ottoman Empire of 1912

You can see on the map that the

Ottoman Empire had lost influence and land over time.

Countries don’t like losing power, it puts them in a bad mood

and so tensions between the Turks and the European countries such as

France, Britain, and Russia.

Austria-Hungarian Empire in 1910The Slavic people that lived under control of the Austria-Hungary

Empire wanted their independence and the country of Serbia supported this desire.

Serbia’s Desire for Independence

Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated in Bosnia, which was a Austria-Hungary province. He was

killed on June 28, 1914

Gavrilo Princip, the assassin, belonged to a Serbian

nationalist group, the Black Hand. His group thought this killing would help the Serbian

cause, instead this killing helped to ignite WWI.

Causes of World War I

IMPERIALISM Imperialism is when a

country takes over new lands or countries and makes the people subject to their rules.

► Imperialism in Europe brought about competition as nations tried to expand their empires

► Prestige was based on amount of land a country owned

Causes of WWI► NATIONALISM

► Nationalism: a feeling of intense loyalty to one’s country or group

► Encouraged new nations like Italy and Germany—unifying regions and powers in the world

► These newer nations challenged the “old” powers of Europe like France and Britain

► Many people kept maps of the world in their homes to show their nation’s colonies around the world.

Causes of WWI DOWNSIDE OF

NATIONALISM►Demand of independence

from certain ethnic groups►Territories and other

ethnic groups wanted to form their own independent countries

►The countries in charge of these territories rejected their independence

►Heightened tension in Europe

Causes of WWI► MILITARISM

► Military Buildup: as naions developed colonies they built large armies to protect their interests and colonies

► Known as the Age of Militarism – this was the glorification of armed strength and the ideals of war were fashionable political theory.

► Germany and Britain began to challenge each other on the water and both had built state of the art battleships.

► Increased militarism = increased anxiety and tension between nations.

CAUSES OF WWI►ALLIANCES

►Alliance system: defense agreements among nations

►Triple Alliance: alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy

►Triple Entente: Great Britain, France and Russia

►Entente: an understanding between nations

WHAT’S GOING ON OVER THERE?► Balkan Peninsula:

southeastern part of Europe► Strong nationalistic tendencies

and ethnic rivalries► On the one hand there was

Greece, Albania, Romania and Bulgaria fighting over land

► On the other hand there was the Slavic nations who wanted independence from Austria-Hungary—Serbia supported Slavic intensions

THE BLAME GAME BEGINS

►Austria-Hungary Empire blamed Serbian government for the assassination►Sent a letter to the Serbian government with a list of demands; Serbia refused the conditions►Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914

Alliance System Set in Motion

Map of those at war Who is Helping Who?► Russia had an agreement

with Serbia to protect it; Russia prepares army for war

► Germany, ally of Austria-Hungary, declared war on Russia on August 1, 1917

► Then Germany declares war on France on August 3, 1917 knowing it is an ally with Russia

THE WESTERN FRONTTrench warfare was the way that both sides fought. The complex system of trenches did not allow either side to advance much for

3 years.The trenches that the armies fought in were complex and deep and this

did not allow for supplies to be transported as easily. Soldiers set

up camp in the trenches, equipment was stored in the trenches, and first aid was given in the trenches. One

of the most dangerous weapons during WWI was poisonous gas and this was especially bad when the

soldiers were in the trenches. The conditions in the trenches were filthy

and disgusting.

WEAPONS OF WAR

Armored Tanks – invented by the British to penetrate enemy lines.

This made troop movement easier.

Airplanes – used for watching enemy troops and bombing heavily fortified targets. The most famous pilot was the “Red Baron” – Baron von Richthoven.

BATTLE OF THE SEA

►German ports were blockaded by British warships►U-boats: German submarines►Get its name from the German word for submarine, unterseeboot

AMERICAN ATTITUDES TOWARD THE WAR

► Many Americans were opposed to getting involved in the war

► Felt the war was nothing more than “a frenzy of dynastic policies and the class of ancient hatreds”

► President Wilson declared that America would be “neutral in fact as well as in name”

EARLY AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT► America tried to remain neutral and traded with both sides► British blockades made it impossible to trade with Germany; thus,

relationship with Britain grew stronger► Economic boom for America as Allied nations borrow money and

trade with America

GERMANY STRIKES BACK

►Germany warned all countries that it would sink any vessels entering British ports►May 7, 1915, a German U-boat torpedoed the British passenger ship the Lusitania off the coast of Ireland►The Lusitania sank in 15 minutes; over 1,000 people were killed (128 Americans)►Months later the Sussex was attacked and Germany compensated those Americans inured, but public opinion in America begins to shift

End of Neutrality/America Enter the War

By January of 1917, Germany declared it would sink any ships that entered Allied ports.

On April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of War against Germany.

RAISING AN ARMY

►Selective Service Act: established a military draft►Men aged 21 to 30 registered to fight►Women also were able to enlist in the armed forces as noncombatants like nurses, clerks and radio operators

American Impact on WWI►American navy begins to

destroy U-boats►Convoys: teams of navy

destroyers that escorted groups of merchant ships across the Atlantic

►Reduced losses of merchandise and life

Russian Withdrawal from War!

► In November 1917, second revolution takes place in Russia

►Bolsheviks: Russian communists

►Vladimir Lenin: leader of the Bolsheviks

►Russia left the war to set up the new communist government

►Treaty of Brest-Litovsk ended hostilities between Germany and Russia

►Russia surrendered Poland, the Ukraine, and other territories

Germany Defeated Allied forces were moving towards

Germany fast October 4, 1918, Germany

requested an armistice Armistice: an agreement to end the

fighting Wilson agreed under these

conditions: Germany must accept plan for

peace Germany must withdrawal troops

from France/Belgium

European Boundaries after WWI