WWI BeginsChapter 19 Section 1 (Pgs. 554-561)

Causes of the WWIM – militarism A- alliancesN – nationalismI – imperialismA – assassination of Archduke

Franz Ferdinand

MilitarismThe building up of armed forces

◦Countries were having “arms races” to see who could build the best and strongest armies and navies.

◦France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, United States

AlliancesTriple Entente (Allies)

◦France, Great Britain, RussiaTriple Alliance (Central Powers)

◦Germany, Austria-Hungary, and ItalyAll vowed that if any country was

attacked they would come to each others aid.

NationalismHaving a strong sense of pride

for ones country.Many nations wanted to become

independent of other nations that controlled them.

Had pride in their countries and showed this by making them the best financially and securely.

ImperialismCountries competed to control

other countries causing tensions.More land = more powerExcuse to build up army and

navy to “protect” colonies

Assassination of Archduke Franz FerdinandGavrilo Princip shot and killed the

Archduke of Austria-Hungary.This caused a chain reaction:

◦1. Austria-Hungary declared war against Serbia.

◦2. Russia declared war on Austria-Hungary.

◦3. Germany declared war on Russia◦4. Germany declared war on France.◦5. Great Britain declared war on

Germany and Austria-Hungary.

Trench WarfareMost of the fighting was done in

trenches◦Filled with rats and disease◦Muddy and unsanitary◦“trench foot”◦“no man’s land” – a barren expanse

of mud pockmarked with shell craters and filled with barbed wire entanglements.

Trench Warfare

Trench Warfare

Trench foot

American NeutralityAmerica didn’t want to get

involved.◦Sided with the Allies because didn’t

agree with German tactics◦Many immigrants sided with their

home countries

The United States Enters the WarBritish had a blockade of Germany

◦Created a famine where 750,000 Germans died

As a result Germans created the U-boat◦Submarine◦Sunk many ships that had American

passengers Lusitania Arabic Sussex

◦Americans told Germans to stop but they kept going.

The United States Enters the WarZimmermann note-

◦Germans sent Mexico a telegram telling them that if they sided with the Germans and help defeat the United States then Germany would give them back the land they lost to the United States (Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona) President Wilson was fired up and

petitioned Congress to declare war.