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The Great War1914-1918

aka World War I

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Marching Toward War

Section 1 Notes

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VOCAB TO KNOW§ Nationalism – a deep devotion to one’s nation

§ Militarism – a policy of glorifying military power and keeping an army prepared for war

§ Triple Alliance – In 1879, Germany’s chancellor Bismarck formed the Dual Alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary. Three years later, Italy joined.

§ Triple Entente – a military alliance between Great Britain, France and Russia in the years preceding World War I

§ Entente – alliance

§ ”powder keg” — the region of the Balkans

zPeace for 30 years in Europe

§ Not an accident

§ Efforts to outlaw war & achieve permanent peace had gained momentum since the mid 19th century

§ By 1900, hundred of peace organizations were active

§ Peace congresses convened regularly between 1843-1907

§ Some Europeans believed war was a thing of the past

zRising Tensions in EuropeLess visible, yet darker forcers were at work

1. The Rise of Nationalism

§ A fierce rivalry developed between Europe’s Great Powers

§ Germany, Austria-Hungary, Great Britain, Russia, Italy and France

§ WHY?

§ Competition for materials and markets

§ Territorial disputes

zRising Tensions in Europe (cont’d)

2. Imperialism and Militarism§ The quest for colonies sometimes pushed nations to the brink of

war

§ Rivalry and mistrust for one another deepened

§ The rise of a dangerous arms race

§ Believed that to be truly great, they needed a powerful military

§ By 1914, all the Great Powers (except Great Britain) had large standing armies

This approach made some citizens feel patriotic and other became quite frightened.

z Tangled Alliances§ Why did alliances form?

§ Growing rivalries and mutual distrust

§ The alliances (between the Great Powers as early as 1870s) were designed originally to keep the peace, but they would instead help push the continent to war.

§ What alliances formed?

§ Chancellor Otto von Bismarck of Germany (blood-and-iron chancellor) after

unifying his country through war (1864-1871), turned to alliances to maintain peace

in 1871.

§ Germany formed the Triple Alliance (first Austria-Hungary and then Italy 3 years

later)

§ 1890, Germany’s leadership changed – Kaiser Wilhelm II – forced Bismarck to

resign. Wilhelm did not want to share power with anyone.

§ Let treaty with Russia lapse in 1890.

§ Russia responded by forming a military alliance with France in 1892 and 1894 (Bismarck

had feared this alliance)

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Germany Alarms Great Britain

§ Wilhelm begins a shipbuilding program to establish a navy equal to Great Britain’s fleet

§ Alarmed, Britain forms an alliance with France

§ In 1907 forms an entente with France and Russia – the Triple Entente

§ 1907: Two rival camps now exist

§ Triple Alliance — Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

§ Triple Entente — Great Britain, France and Russia

§ A dispute between two rival powers could draw all the nations of Europe into war

z Crisis in the Balkans§ Nowhere was that dispute

more likely to occur than on the Balkan Peninsula.

§ Mountainous region, home to an assortment of ethnic groups

§ Long history of nationalist uprisings and ethnic clashes.

§ The Balkans was known as the “powder keg” of Europe.

z The Powder Keg§ Early 1900s, the Ottoman Empire (which included the Balkan region) was

in rapid decline due to Imperialism.

§ Some groups had broken away from Turkish rules and formed new nations:

§ Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia

§ Nationalism was a powerful force in these countries

§ Each group wanted to extend their borders

§ 1908, Austria annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina

§ Serbian leaders were outraged

§ Tensions between Serbia and Austria steadily rose.

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And the War Begins with a Single Shot§ WHO: The heirs to the Austro-Hungarian throne: Archduke Franz

Ferdinand and his wife Sophie

§ WHEN: June 28, 1914

§ WHAT:

§ The couple paid a state visit to Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia.

§ Both were shot point-blank range as they rode through the streets in an open car.

§ The assassin: Gavrilo Princip, 19 yrs old, Serbian, member of the Black Hand, a secret society which had the goal of ridding Bosnia of Austrian rule.

z The Fall Out§ Because the assassin was Serbian, Austria decided to use the murders as

an excuse to punish Serbia.

§ July 23, 1914, Austria gave Serbia an ultimatum with numerous demands.

§ Knowing they must agree to it or enter into war, they agreed to all but one of the demands and offered several others.

§ Austria rejected Serbia’s offer on July 28 and declared war.

§ Domino effect:

§ Russia, an ally of Serbia, took action and moved troops toward the Austrian border.

§ Britain, Italy and even Germany urged Austria and Russia to negotiate

§ But it was too late and war had been set in motion.

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View the Following Film§ The Causes of World War I

§ Add notes that align and further deepen the key concepts discussed thus far in our Section 1 notes.§ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ik_2hqkl9NFRlV68QqVHabkV9HEe23aN/view

zAssignment, Section 1:1. Look at the map on page 404-405. What are the names of the TWO allied

systems in Europe during 1914?

2. Using the Map: What factor do the neutral countries (except Switzerland and Luxembourg) have in common?

3. List and explain the FOUR factors that enable the Great War to begin (not including the Powder Keg incident)?

4. Describe in detail the Sarajevo Incident that ignited the Powder Keg: When, Where, Who, What, Why and the Outcome?