THE CAUSES OF WORLD WAR I

DR. DON SCHWARTZ UCI OLLI

JANUARY 6, 2015

NATIONALISM

NATIONALISM

• "German: a good fellow, maybe; but it is

better to hang him" -- Russian proverb • "England is a Devil that will devour everything, a

vampire that will suck tribute from all the veins of the earth, a monster snake encircling the whole equator." -- My German Fatherland, by Pastor Tolzien

• "the French truth is not the same as the German truth“ – French proverb

THE AUSTRIAN EMPIRE

NATIONALISM

IMPERIALIST RIVALRIES

RIVALRY OVER MOROCCO

NATIONALISM

IMPERIALIST RIVALRIES

MILITARISM

NATIONALISM

IMPERIALIST RIVALRIES

MILITARISM RIVAL

ALLIANCES

THE BALKANS

THE BALKANS • “The Balkans

aren't worth the life of a single Pomeranian grenadier”

• “If there is ever another war in Europe, it will come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans.”

• -- Bismarck

THE STRAITS AND DARDANELLES

WHY WERE THE BALKANS ‘A POWDER KEG’?

• ‘Balkanization’ • Rising nationalism • Ambition for ‘Greater Kingdom of

Serbia’ • Desire to prevent Slavs in Austria-

Hungary from joining Serbia • Russian ambitions in Balkans

conflicted with Austria-Hungary’s policies

BOSNIAN CRISIS 1908

SIGNIFICANCE OF BOSNIAN CRISIS

• Russia felt humiliated • Serbia drew closer to Russia • Increased Serbian opposition to Austria-

Hungary • Austria-Hungary was determined to suppress

Serbia • Germany will to support Austria-Hungary

INTERNATIONAL RIVALRIES BY 1914

• SERBIA vs AUSTRIA-HUNGARY • RUSSIA vs AUSTRIA-HUNGARY • FRANCE vs GERMANY • AUSTRIA-HUNGARY vs SERBIA

OTHER ISSUES BY 1914

• Honor • Masculinity and Virility • Growing militarism • Decision-making • The cult of the offensive

ENCIRCLEMENT OF GERMANY

ARCHDUKE FRANZ FERDINAND

THE ASSASSINATION

AUSTRIAN CARTOON: “SERBIA MUST DIE”

IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF WAR

• June 28 assassination of Franz Ferdinand • July 5 – Germany issues ‘blank check’ • July 23 – Austrian ultimatum to Serbia

– Suppress propaganda against Austria-Hungary – Dissolve the ‘Black Hand’ – Eliminate anti-Austrian teaching in schools – “accept the collaboration in Serbia of representatives

of the Austro-Hungarian Government for the suppression of the subversive movement”

TIMELINE OF EVENTS • July 25 – Serbia accepts all but point 4 of the ultimatum; • July 28 – Austria declares war on Serbia • July 29 – Russia orders partial mobilization • July 30 – Austria attacks Serbia, Nicholas II orders general Russian

mobilization • July 31 - Germany asks France to declare its intentions • Aug. 1 - France orders mobilization; Germany declares war on Russia • Aug. 3 – Italy declares neutrality; Germany declares war on France • Aug. 4 – Germany invades Belgium; Britain declares war on Germany

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

• August 1 - Germany declares war on Russia; France orders mobilization

• August 3 – Germany declares war on France and invades Belgium

• August 4 – Britain declares war on Germany