World War I

Background Info to the Great War

1870 - 1914

German Unification

• As recently as 1870, Germany did not yet exist

• The area that was to become Germany was a grouping of separate German states (Prussia, Bavaria, etc.)

• Prussia was the largest and it was Prussia that would lead them all to unification

Otto von Bismarck

• Chancellor of Prussia

• Architect of unification

Franco - Prussian War

• Finalized German unification and humiliated the French who were crushed

• Germans dictated peace terms to the French at Versailles in the Hall of Mirrors in 1871

Alliance System

• Otto von Bismarck was responsible for a system of alliances to protect German power and growth

• It was also designed to isolate and weaken France

Triple Alliance

Triple Entente