Causes of the War

Causes of the War

Europe at Its Peak• Industrial Revolution at its peak• Modernization led to sense that

Europeans were at the peak of world civilization

• Europe had 25% of world population—highest percent of any time in history

Imperial Tensions• European nations competed for

colonies

Militarism• Glorification of war and increase in

military spending• Germany competed against

England’s naval superiority

Nationalism• Great pride in one’s country or

aspiring to become one’s own country• Germany and Italy had only recently

become united, independent countries• Many countries torn by tensions of

different nationalist groups

• Combined with militarism and imperial competition, this increased tensions in Europe

The System of Alliances• Web of treaties to protect themselves• Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-

Hungary and Italy• Triple Entente: France, Russia and

Great Britain

How do I possibly REMEMBER all

of that?

• These are the MAIN causes for World War I

• MAIN–Militarism–Alliances–Imperialism–Nationalism

War Breaks Out

Nationalism in the Balkans

Nationalism in the Balkans• People with diverse religions, ethnic

backgrounds, languages• As Ottoman Empire receded, new

nations were born• Russian and Austria competed for

colonial control of new nations• Austria-Hungary annexes Bosnia in

1908 and Serbia resents this

Nationalism in the Balkans

The Assassination of the Archduke

The Assassination of the Archduke• Archduke Francis Ferdinand of

Austria visited Bosnian capital (Sarajevo) on June 28, 1914

• 7 assassins from the Black Hand, a Serbian nationalist group, plot against him

• 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip kills the Archduke and his wife (THE SPARK)

The Assassination of the Archduke

Austria-Hungary’s Ultimatum• Germany gave “blank check” of

military support to Austria-Hungary• Austria-Hungary’s serves ultimatum

to Serbia• Serbia refuses to let Austria-

Hungary’s officials run an investigation in Serbia

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

The Alliance System Leads to War

• Russia supported Serbia and Germany supported Austria-Hungary

• Within one week, almost all of Europe plunged into war:–Germany declares war on Russia and

France–Britain declares war on Germany

Alliances and Fronts of the

War

What has changed about the alliances????

The Alliances• Allied Powers — Britain, France ,

Russia, Belgium• Central Powers — Germany, Austria-

Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire

The Western Front• Germany tried to take France quickly

in the Western Front and then turn to fight Russia (Schlieffen Plan)

• Instead, battle lines formed in northeastern France and changed little (stalemate)

• Miles of trenches built (trench warfare)

The Western Front

Battles Along the Western Front• Long, bloody battles: Verdun—

680,000 casualties • Somme—over 1 million casualties

The Eastern Front• Lack of modern technology caused

Russia enormous defeats• Led to Bolshevik

(Russian)Revolution• Treaty signed with revolutionary

government in Russia—lost one-fourth of territory

The Eastern Front

Brest-Litvosk Treaty

The Balkan Front• The Allies abandoned attempts to land in

Balkans after losing battles to Ottoman Empire (ex. Gallipoli)

The Italian Front• Italians joined the Triple Entente in 1915

and fought Austria-Hungary

The War Ends• 1917 – USA enters war – replaces

Russia in Triple Entente• Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire

were first Central Powers to be defeated

• Revolts inside Austria-Hungary and Germany helped end the war quickly

New Weapons

Used in the War

The Machine Gun• Modern industry replaced the single-

fire, short-range rifle• British machine guns fired 8 round

per second, at a distance of 2,900 yards

Artillery• Greater power and carried shells much

further• 24 million shells used in the Battle of

Verdun alone

Weapons of the Industrial Age• 75 different types of poison-gas used

(1st time – 1915 2nd Battle of Ypres)• Flame throwers• Tanks (first used in 1916) • Airplanes• U-Boats

Casualties of Modern Weaponry• Tactics of sending masses of men

toward enemy didn’t work against modern weapons (No Man’s Land)

• Britain suffered 57,470 casualties on the first day of the Battle of Somme

• Total losses for WWI exceeded 10 million

The Reality of Soldiers’

Lives

Patriotic Fervor• Many Europeans looked forward to

war at the start

Attitudes Change• Soldiers changed Europeans’

optimistic fervor through letters about the horrors of war

The Return Home• No crowds or heroes’ welcome after

the war

Trench Warfare

The Race to the Sea• 475 miles of trenches were dug across

northern France• British troops used over 10 million

shovels during the war

Life in the Trenches• Charging over the top, crossing no

man’s land to reach enemy trenches• Boring, terrifying and caused shell

shock• Horrible living conditions

Effect of the War on the Home Front

Mobilizing for Total War• Civilians back home made huge

sacrifices• Governments controlled industries,

rationing• Propaganda and Censorship used

often

New Jobs for Women• Worked in jobs traditionally held only

by men, who were at the front• Number in paid employment rose by

over one million• Worked in paramilitary organizations

to support soldiers at front

Women’s Wages• Paid less than men for same work• Industrial and civil work provided

better pay and working hours than traditional jobs

Women’s Changing Role• Women discovered the benefits of

financial autonomy and greater mobility

• Some refused to return to domestic service

• Women won right to vote throughout Europe

The Paris Peace

Conference

Signing of the Treaty of Versailles

Peace of Justice• Leaders of Allied and Central powers

met at the Palace of Versailles• President Wilson’s 14 Points

supported self-determination for all nations and a just peace

Peace of Vengeance• Italy and Britain wanted territory• France wanted to punish Germany• Italy and United States left, leaving

peace settlement to France and Britain• Wilson - Pressure by United States for

Policy of Isolationism

Treaty of Versailles with Germany• France and Britain created a severe

treaty that punished Germany• Germany had to:

–Return Alsace-Lorraine region to France–Keep area near France, called Rhineland,

demilitarized–Pay war reparations of 32 billion dollars–Agree to war guilt clause

The New Europe• Treaties similar to Germany’s signed

with other Central Powers• Many countries experienced a change

in their borders• Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary, Germany

and Russia lost territory• Many new countries were created

The New Europe