The First World War: The First World War: European Tensions European Tensions

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World History

Causes of the WarConsider the following questions and be prepared to discuss your answers.

1. What do you see here?2. What do the different colors on the map represent?

3. Who is allied to whom? 4. Which countries might have the greatest or least need to join an alliance?

5. What are the advantages of joining alliances? Disadvantages?

Europe at Its Peak

In 1914, Western European countries were the most technologically advanced, wealthiest societies on earth.

Europeans comprised 25% of the world’s population, the highest percentage of Europeans of any time in history

Modernization created a feeling of superiority in Europe

Militarism

The policy of glorifying military power and keeping an army prepared for war.

By 1914, all the great powers except Britain had large standing armies.

Citizens feel patriotic Also frightened many.

Kaiser Wilhelm II

1888 became ruler of Germany.

Forced Bismarck to resign.

Army was his greatest pride.

Eager to show the world how mighty Germany had become.

Tangled Alliances

Growing rivalries and mutual mistrust had lead to the creation of several military alliances among the Great powers.

Prussia’s chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, saw France as greatest threat to peace.

Goal of Bismarck: to isolate France

The System of Alliances

Fearing the inevitable, countries began to form interlocking treaties, called alliances

Two major alliances in Europe– Triple Alliance

• Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

– Triple Entente• Britain, France, Russia

Triple Alliance

Bismarck formed the Dual Alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary.

Three years later , Italy joined forming The Triple Alliance.

Triple Entente

Treaty between Britain, France, and Russia.

Countries form alliance with each other- will not fight against each other.

Imperialism

Nations in Europe competed fiercely for colonies in Africa and Asia.

This quest for colonies sometimes pushed Europeans to the brink of war.

Sense of rivalry and mistrust among nations deepens.

Nationalism

Two forms of nationalism– A devotion to the interests of one’s nation

• Feelings of national pride

• Patriotism

• Connected to imperialism and militarism

– An aspiration for independence in a country under foreign domination

• This form led to tensions in countries with large numbers of ethnic minorities (Why?)

• Austria-Hungary had the most serious problem with this form

War Breaks OutConsider the following questions and be prepared to discuss your answers.

1. What do you see here?2. How are these people going to effect the OUT BREAK of WWI?

MAKE A PREDICTION (HALF A PAGE) BE READY TO SHARE FOR DAPS!!!

Ottoman Empire

The Armenians suffered horrifically for its desire for independence from the Ottoman Empire.

By 1880’s , roughly 2.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire demanded their freedom.

Throughout 1890’s, Turkish troops killed tens of thousands of Armenians.

In 1914, Armenians pledged support to Turks’ enemies.

Turks deported nearly 2 million.

600,000 die of starvation

A Restless Region

Early 1900s-Ottoman Empire, which included the Balkan region, was in rapid decline.

New Nations: Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia

Nationalism a powerful force.

Each group longed to extend its borders.

Nationalism in the Balkans causes conflict

Rivalry between Russia and Austria-Hungary developed over the Balkan Peninsula

The area that formerly was controlled by the Ottoman Empire

The Balkan Peninsula, “the powder keg of Europe”, contained many different ethnic groups that desired their independence

Two “Balkan Wars”, 1912 and 1913, were fought helping keep tensions high

Austria-Hungary and Serbia Austria-Hungary: Had a small Slavic

population under its control Serbia: Had a large Slavic population,

wanted to take in all Slavs in the Balkans, Start a Nationalism campaign

Conflict: Austria-Hungary fears rebellion from its Slavic population

Alliances in the Balkans

Russia and Austria-Hungary both want control of the Balkans

Russia, high Slavic population, sides with Serbia

Austria-Hungary sides with Germany Russia is not militarily ready for war so

they are forced to back down So what might make war break out now?

Archduke Franz Ferdinand A Serbian nationalist

terror organization, The Black Hand, planned to assassinate the heir to the throne and sent 7 assassins

After avoiding 5 assassins, the archduke and his wife were assassinated by Gavrilo Principe

Ultimatum On July 23 Austria-Hungary

presented Serbia with an ultimatum which had to be answered in 48 hours

Their demands– Stop all Anti-Austrian activity– Dismiss of all Serbian officials A-

H objected to– The right to enter Serbia to

investigate whether the Serbian government was involved

Serbia agreed to the first two, but refused on the third

Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28th

Alliances and Fronts of the WarConsider the following questions and be prepared to discuss your answers.

1. What do you see here?2. Who are the Allied Power? Central Powers?

3. Where are the western, eastern, Italian, and Balkan fronts of the war?4. Which alliance seems to be winning?

The Alliance System Leads to War Because of the alliance systems, Europe was at war

within one week July 30th, Russia mobilized its armies moving troops

towards Germany and A-H Germany, taking this as an act of war, issued two

demands– Russia demobilize– France remain neutral

Russia and France refused Germany declared war on Russia on August 1st and on

France on August 3rd

After Germany attacked neutral Belgium to get to France, Britain entered the war

The Alliances

World War I was fought between two sides, on primarily four European fronts

The Triple Entente were called the Allies, and were joined by Belgium

The Triple Alliance became known as the Central Powers– Italy refused to honor her alliance

Eventually 31 nations joined the war