Great Britain FranceGermany

Russia

The Race That Led to WWI

Revolutions That Rocked Europe

U.S. Colonies 1776

French1796

Austria1848

Germany 1848

Italy1848

The idea of the people of a nation taking the control of their country into their own hands gained a lot of power as Western Europe watched the great Powerhouse of England lose the colonies in the United States…this inspired many others over the next 100 years to take stands against their governments.

Imperialism The New Measure of Power in Europe

Imperialism: The extension of a nation’s power over other lands

This can happen in two ways…

1. Indirect Rule: Local authorities allowed to keep their jobs, but government ultimately answers to imperial power.

2. Direct Rule: Imperial “cleans house” and replaces local authorities with ones from imperial country. 1. Direct rule tends to cause more conflicts

King George V of England

Kaiser William II of Germany

Czar Nicholas of Russia

Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria

Premier George Clemenceau of France

Victor Emmanuel IIIKing of Italy

Leaders of the AlliancesTriple Entente

Triple Alliance

Area/Nation overtaken by the British

Motivation for taking the land Conflicts that arose

West Africa Resources: Lumber, animal hides, palm oil, gold

Nothing substantial

North Africa Muhammad Ali (Ottoman leader) brought Egypt up to date. French built Suez Canal 1869, British want the area now to have access to India

- 1875 British bought part of canal- 1881 Egyptians revolted for control- 1914 Egypt became a British

protector

South Africa Access for trade, gold, diamonds, land for the wealthy

- Boers frustrated with British rule moved north and took lands of the Zulu- Gold and diamonds discovered in

new Boer lands evoked a war between the British and Boer

- 1902 peace agreement was signed

British Imperial Rule and Resulting Conflicts

Area/Nation overtaken by the British

Motivation for taking the land Conflicts that arose

East Africa - Power struggle with Germany

- Control of access in and out of the Red Sea

Germany, Great Britain and Portugal made land claims in E. Africa, Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 determined that Germany and Great Britain had rightful claims.

India - Trade with the Orient- Food/spices- Precious Gems

- Constant revolts- Massacre at Kanpur, 200

women and children were killed (British)

British Imperial Rule and Resulting Conflicts

Key Players of Western Europe Late 1800’s and Prewar

Leader Nation Political Role and Position Archduke Francis Ferdinand

Austria-Hungary

- Heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary- Assassinated on June 28, 1914 by a group of

Serbian terrorists - Allied with Germany- Part of the Triple Alliance- Declared war on Serbia July 28, 1914

Emperor William II

Germany - Supported Austria- Hungary 100% against Russia- Declared war on Russia/Serbia August 1, 1914

Czar Nicholas II Russia - Supported Serbia- July 28, 1914 partial mobilization of Russian

army - Full mobilization against Austria-Hungary July 29,

1914- Germany considered this an act of war

Leader Nation Political Role and Position General Alfred von Schlieffen

Germany Drafted the plan “Schlieffen Plan” - Two fronted war with Russia and France- Most of the efforts would go to overtaking France

while using a limited amount to hold off the Russians. - Invasion of France would be through Belgium- After France was defeated then they would move to

invade Russia- Declared war on France on August 3, 1914

Grigory Rasputin

Russia - Personal advisor to the Czar’s wife (Alexandra)- Was believed to have mystical powers- Influenced the decisions of Alexandra when Nicholas

was away.- Poor decisions lead to economic and military blunders- Russian people wanted monarchy/Rasputin out, lead

to revolution- Russian’s rallied together, assassinated Rasputin in

December of 1916

Leader Nation Political Role and Position Aleksandr Kerensky

Russia - Temporary leader of Russia after the fall of Czar Nicholas II- Decided to stay in WWI and honor alliance- Not a good decision for the people of Russia economically

or morale wise

V.I. Lenin Russia - A leader of one of the soviets, groups that represented the workers and soldiers

- He lead the Bolshevik Soviet group- Believed only a violent revolution could restore things in

Russia- Lead the Bolshevik Revolution with the message that he

would return the power of Russia to the workers and peasants, to end the war and return the land to the peasants

- November 6, 1917 they overthrew the government and renamed themselves the Communists.

- Ending the war meant giving up land to Germany=Poland, the Ukraine and Finland.

Leader Nation Political Role and Position Woodrow Wilson

United States

- Initial position was neutral- The issue that caused problem was “unrestricted

submarine warfare” by Germany- May 7, 1915 Lusitania sunk- Germans backed off until spring 1917- U.S. “forced” to enter the war in April 1917- Increased the psychological drive of the Allied Powers to

succeed against Central Powers.

King George V Great Britain

- King of Great Britain works in conjunction with the Prime Minster David Lloyd George- Willing to go to war because of alliance obligation and confidence in naval power and presence

Raymond Poincare

France - Foreign Minster of France, worked directly with the Premier, George Clemenceau- Assisted in the drafting of the Treaty at Versailles