Transcript Causes of WWI – MANIA!

World War I
Causes of WWI – MANIA!
Militarism - policy of building up a strong military to prepare for war
Alliances – agreements between nations to provide aid and protect
on another
Nationalism – extreme pride in one’s country
Imperialism – when one country takes over another country
economically and politically.
Assassination – of Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand
Militarism
1910-1914 Increase in
Defense Expenditures
France
10%
Britain
13%
Russia
39%
Germany
73%
Alliances
Triple Alliance
Triple Entente
Nationalism
• At the settlement of the Congress of Vienna in
1815, the principle of nationalism was ignored in
favor of preserving the peace. Germany and
Italy were left as divided states, but strong
nationalist movements and revolutions led to the
unification of Italy in 1861 and that of Germany
in 1871. Another result was that France lost
Alsace-Lorraine to Germany, and regaining it
was a major goal of the French. 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.
• These countries competed for economic expansion in
Africa. Although Britain and France resolved their
differences in Africa, 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.
European
Conquest of
Africa
The
“Spark”
Assassination
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and
Duchess Sophie at Sarajevo, Bosnia,
on June 28th, 1914.
Austrian
Archduke Franz
Ferdinand was
killed in Bosnia by
a Serbian
nationalist group
called the Black
Hand who
believed that
Bosnia should
belong to Serbia.
Domino Effect
Austria blamed Serbia for Ferdinand’s death and declared
war on Serbia.
Germany pledged their support for Austria -Hungary.
Russia pledged their support for Serbia.
Domino Effect
Germany declares war on Russia.
France pledges their support for Russia.
Germany declares war on France.
Germany invades Belgium on the way to France.
Great Britain supports Belgium and declares war on Germany.
Central Powers
Allied Powers
World War I
The Schlieffen Plan
 Developed by Alfred von Schlieffen to avoid a two front war
 Counted on defeating France quickly and then turning efforts
to Russia
 Require German armies to march through Belgium and
attack behind French lines
 European powers had signed a treaty guaranteeing Belgium’s
neutrality
 Britain was outraged and declared war on Germany on
August 4, 1914
Schlieffen Plan Failure
• Belgium put up more of a fight than the Germans expected
• French & British were able
to hold back the German troops
at the Marne River in Sept. 1914
• Both side dug trenches and
Fought in a long, deadly, stalemate
• Battle lines remained unchanged
for nearly 4 years
Why was WWI a Stalemate?
• What’s a stalemate?
– Neither side can make a move to win.
• Machine gun. How did this change war?
How was it fought before?
• Trench Warfare = “solution”.
• Millions die without gaining ground.
What new weapons were used in
WWI?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Machine gun
Poison gas
Submarine
Airplane
Tank
Why these weapons? Why now?
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION!!
What were the results?
• Germany surrendered.
• Allies impose Treaty of Versailles.
– Declares Germany guilty for war.
– Germany must pay reparations to Allies.
• This sets the stage for WWII!
• League of Nations formed to try to prevent
war in the future.
Casualties?
• Total troops mobilized by all countries in WW1
65,038,810
• Total troops dead from all countries in WW1
8,556,315
• Total troops wounded from all countries in WW1
21,219,452
• Total missing or POWs
7,750,945