Intro to World War I

Mr. Westfall’s

World Studies

Causes of WWI

A- Alliance

N - Nationalism

I - Imperialism

M - Militarism

A - Anarchy

L - Leadership

Alliance System

• Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary & Italy)– Germany’s goal was to isolate France– Italy was mad at France for their occupation of

Tunisia– Austria-Hungary’s expansion into the Balkan’s

conflicted w/ Russia’s ambitions– Weakness was Italy’s desire to regain Italian-

inhabited Austrian territories

Alliance System Cont…

• Triple Entente (France, Russia & Britain)– France wanted to regain European leadership and gain back

provinces from Germany

– After Bismarck was out of power Germany did not want to renew its treaty with Russia so France stepped in and provided military and industrial loans.

– Britain was seen as an industrial and colonial superpower they still feared Germany’s growing navy.

– Although France and Britain clashed over territory in Africa they came to a peaceful agreement and in 1907 completed the Triple Entente.

Alliance System Cont…

Nationalism

• Strong nationalist movements and revolutions led to the unification of Italy in 1861 and that of Germany in 1871.

• France was left seething over the loss of Alsace-Lorraine and Revanche to Germany in the Franco Prussian War.

• Nationalism posed a problem for Austria-Hungary and the Balkans, areas comprised of many conflicting national groups.

Imperialism• Great Britain, Germany and France needed foreign

markets after the increase in manufacturing caused by the Industrial Revolution.

• Several crises foreshadowing the war involved the clash of Germany against Britain and France in North Africa.

• In the Middle East, the crumbling Ottoman Empire was alluring to Austria-Hungary, the Balkans and Russia.

Militarism

• Another cause of the war was similar to the arms race of today and the cold war.

• Britain had a big navy and Germany wanted the same.

• France and Germany were both increasing military size.

Militarism Cont…Comparative figures on army increase, 1870-1914:

1870 1914

Russia 700,000 1,300,000

France 380,000 846,000

Germany 403,000 812,000

Austria-Hungary 247,000 424,000

Britain 302,000 381,000

Italy 334,000 305,000

Japan 70,000 250,000

U.S.A. 37,000 98,000

Anarchy

• There was no solid international organization to help them deal with their problems.

Leadership

Aggressive leadership

Raymond Poincare

France Nicholas II

Russia

King George V

Britain

William II & Bismarck

Germany

Causes of WWI

A- Alliance

N - Nationalism

I - Imperialism

M - Militarism

A - Anarchy

L - Leadership

Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, 1914

Ferdinand Cont…

• Serbia was put under Austria-Hungary’s rule by Bismarck during the Congress of Berlin.

• Ferdinand was the heir to the throne in Austria-Hungary.

• Serbian nationalists (The Black Hand) plotted to assassinate the Archduke upon his arrival to Sarajevo.

Ferdinand Cont…Eyewitness Account

The road to maneuvers was shaped like the letter V, making a sharp turn at the bridge over the River Nilgacka. Franz Ferdinand's car could go fast enough until it reached this spot but here it was forced to slow down for the turn. Here Princip had taken his stand. As the car came abreast he stepped forward from the curb, drew his automatic pistol from his coat and fired two shots. The first struck the wife of the Archduke, the Archduchess Sofia, in the abdomen. She was an expectant mother. She died instantly.

The second bullet struck the Archduke close to the heart.He uttered only one word; Sofia - a call to his stricken wife. Then his head fell back and he collapsed. He died almost instantly. The officers seized Princip. They beat him over the head with the flat of their swords. They knocked him down; they kicked him, tortured him, and all but killed him. He was then taken to the Sarajevo gaol (jail).

Borijove Jevtic

Ferdinand Cont…

Ferdinand's Funeral

Outbreak of WAR! (1914)

• Due to the assassination Austria declares war on Serbia. (July 28th)

• Russia mobilizes to help Serbia, this alarms Germany.

• So Germany then declares war on Russia and France. (Aug. 1st & 3rd)

• Germany makes advances toward France through Belgium, British unhappy and declares war on Germany. (Aug. 4th)

German Troops Entering Belgium in 1914

New Warfare Technology

Trenches Cont…

Trenches Cont…

Chemical Warfare

Tanks

VS.

No animals were harmed in the making of this PowerPoint presentation!

Machine Gun

German Maxim American Browning

Artillery

Rifles

Austrian Mannlicher

German Mauser

British Enfield

US Springfield

War at Sea

War in the Air

Air War Cont…

Communications

Answer on a separate sheet of paper.

• List and explain at least three of the underlying causes of World War I.

• EC: What message is this propaganda poster portraying?

THE END!!!