WW1 Introduction PDF

MAIN CAUSES OF THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918  MAIN CAUSES Militarism = stockpiling of armaments Alliance System = secret mutual defense agreements Imperialism= industrialized nations building empires Nationalism= extreme pride your country ...

MAIN CAUSES OF THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918  MAIN CAUSES Militarism = stockpiling of armaments Alliance System = secret mutual defense agreements Imperialism= industrialized nations building empires Nationalism= extreme pride your country  Militarism The belief or desire of a government or people that a country maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests. How did it contribute to WWI? Germany was looking to expand its Navy to compete with Great Britain. Created an arms race between nations and increased paranoia of attack. In turn, more alliances formed.  MILITARISM Due to advanced industrialization and a great deal of imperial conflict in the 19th century many European nations began to stockpile weapons at the turn of the 20th century. “Might makes Right” = Nations with industrialized weaponry determine international policy.  Imperialism s/territories making them part of a large empire. m very rich. Russia and Germany sought out to create the same. Russia wanted t between nations. Imperial Expansion leading to intense militarism: Austria-Hungary’s expansion into Balkans. Great Britain and France’s expanding empires in Africa and Asia. Germany = maintaining recent unification.  Alliances utual benefit, especially between countries or organizations eated two camps in Europe that committed to remain sovereignty or intervene militarily if a , it was viewed as an attack on the Austro-Hungary empire and both alliances had to step u  NEW ALLIANCE IS FORMED: Russia wanted more territory in Southeast Europe (warm water ports) Balkan States (ex. Serbia, Bosnia) – caused conflict with the growing Austro-Hungarian Empire. France wanted Alsace- Lorraine back from Germany Meanwhile Britain was feeling threatened due to German militarism.  TRIPLE ENTENTE / TRIPLE ALLIANCE Triple Alliance = Italy, Germany + Austria-Hungary Becomes Central Powers = Germany, Austria-Hungary + Ottoman Empire Triple Entente = Britain, Russia + France Becomes Allied Powers= Britain, France +U.S.  IMPERIALISM The competitive imperialism that took place in the late 1800’s created new European. rivalries and sharpened already existing ones i.e. Britain vs. Ottoman Empire Colonial forces will also expand the scope of warfare by providing natural resources and other soldiers. British Empire in 1914 Austria-Hungary’s expansion into the Balkans.  Nationalism A STRONG identification with one’s own nation, ethnicity, or a religion, and support for its interests, especially to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations. How did it contribute to WWI? Created intense nationistic rivalries. Serbian nationalist group The BLACK HAND, assasinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand and was the spark of the war.  NATIONALISM The expansion of European empires leads to increased national pride.  THE SPARK Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria- Hungary and his wife Sophie traveled to Sarajevo, Bosnia on a goodwill tour representing his uncle Emperor Franz Josef. As he traveled by open car a bomb was thrown at the rear of his car- but exploded in the street rather than hurting the royal couple.  Ferdinand wanted to visit the victims of the bombing attack in the hospital and diverted from the earlier planned driving route. As they turned on a narrow street a Serbian terrorist Gavrilo Princip, member of the Black Hand, shot and killed the royal couple. Due this assassination the Emperor of A-H, Franz Josef will