World War I12.0

Why it Happened

The Causes of World War I

1.Militarism2.Alliances3.Imperialism4.Nationalism

= MAIN

Militarism • The glorification of military strength by a country• Leads to huge buildup in armies, fortification of boundaries, and start of an Arms Race• Germany expands army and navy to compete w/ Britain• Britain expands Navy as result.

Alliances• Formed by European countries during this time of militarism promising to aid one another in case of an attack• Creates armored camps w/ nations committed to go to war to defend allies

Alliances• Triple Alliance –1882–Germany, Austria, and Italy–Italy would later switch sides

• Triple Entente – 1907–France, Russia, and Great Britain•Britain promised Belgium neutrality

Imperialism

• Extending power outside a countries borders - colonies

• Early 1900’s -Competition of empires• Britain owned lands on five continents• France controlled large areas of Africa• Germany entered colonization late

Nationalism• Pride in one’s country•Or…national independence of a culture instead of rule by a foreign power•Ex: Serbia

World War I - Background

The Participants…

Italy & Germany Become Nations

• 1860s ––Italy broke free from Austrian rule and became an independent nation

• 1870s – –Otto von Bismarck unifies the

German states into a single nation = Powerful Militarized

Nation in central Europe

Bismarck’s Alliance System•Germany – great military power•Needed to protect Germany from enemies – France

The Balkans

• Located in Central Europe• The “Powder Keg” of Europe•Very strong spirit of nationalism•Many different ethnicities

The Balkans• Ottoman Empire (Turkey)–Ruled the Balkans–1400s – 1800s

• Throughout the 1800s the major ethnic groups of the Balkans fought for their independence

The Greeks• Revolted in 1820 • Gained independence

The Romanians• Revolted in 1859• Gained independence

Slavic Countries• Revolted after war between the Ottoman Empire and Russia• Bulgarians, Montenegrins, Serbs gain independence

Russia

• Balkans – ethnically Slav• Russia sees herself as protector of

the Slavs–Genuine attachment

• = chief ally • Russia – having trouble with

Revolutionaries (Lenin)• = sees war as way to re-establish

order

Bosnia & Herzegovina•Occupied by Austria-Hungary

• Serbia had just gained independence–Saw Bosnia as its rightful territory

Bosnia & Herzegovina• 1908 ––Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia

• Created open hostility w Slavs• The “Powder Keg” becomes unstable – going to Blow Up!!!