world war i: causes of wwi

World War I: Causes of WWIUS History Honors

Underlying Causes• What Causes Most Wars…• extreme nationalism (super patriotism or love for one’s country)• imperialism spreading the political or economic control of one

country over another• militarism using force or the threat of force against another nation• entangled system of alliances (SECRET)• fanatical leaders

Underlying Causes• Rival Alliances Created a “False Sense of Security”• Triple Entente

• Great Britain: King George V• France: Premier Clemenceau• Russia: Czar Nicholas II

• Triple Alliance• Germany: Kaiser Wilhelm I• Austria-Hungary: Emanuel II

What Caused World War I• Unrest in the Balkans• Bosnians felt abused under the rule of Austria-Hungary• Goal: to create a “Greater Serbia” (unite Slavic people)• This movement was strongly supported by “Mother Russia”

What Caused World War I• June 28, 1914• Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Austria’s heir to the throne) was

assassinated by a Bosnian Serb Nationalist while on a good will trip to Sarajevo, Bosnia. THIS SPARK WOULD IGNITE THE WAR.

What Caused World War I• Alliances Unfolded• Austria declared war on Serbia• Russia supported Serbia (mother country with ethnic ties)• Germany sided with Austria and declared war on Russia• France was obligated to help Russia & Great Britain to help France• By August 5, 1914, Europe was engulfed in WAR!!!

What Caused World War I• Germany’s “Schlieffen Plan” to avoid a 2 front war failed• Front: zone of conflict between armies• Western Front would mostly be in France• Area between armies was known as “No Man’s Land”• Fighting two fronts puts a giant strain on resources and man power

The Fighting Sides• Triple Alliance becomes “The Central Powers” (the Bad Guys)• Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria• Italy gave up its defensive agreement with Germany and joined

the other side

• Triple Entente becomes “The Allied Powers” (the Good Guys)• Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy• United States would join in April of 1917

• Eventually over 50 nations were involved in “The Great War”

• WW1 Episode 6:25-7:46 & 14:00-15:42