WWI

Bismarck’s Alliance System• He (and Germany) really were a ‘sated’ power • Pursued a System of Alliances

– Goal: maintain peace with a dominant Germany – Isolate France…why?

• France is bitter over Franco-Prussian War, Alsace-Lorraine, etc. – Stabilize, but balance Austria and Russia

• Why are these two such a concern? – minority groups with destabilizing nationalism

– Deal with land winning independence from the crumbling Ottoman Empire in southeast Europe

• Aka the Balkans • Host of nationalist problems there• We’ll come back to this

• Example of Bismarck’s genuine attempts to keep peace – Encourages France to imperialize land, just not in Europe

• Many of Bismarck’s Alliances were secret… • Series of shifting alliances under Bismarck is complicated.

William II Bungled Bismarck’s System

• He’s anti-Russian• He gets rid of Bismarck because

Bismarck is pro-Russian • Alienates Russia • France jumps on this to make an

alliance with Russia • German gov. under William II is

arrogant and ignorant… does a lot to stir up a hornet’s nest of European problems

Rival Alliance Groups Form

• #1- the Triple Alliance (later called the Central Powers)– Germany – Austria-Hungary joins because of tensions with Russia over

the spoils of the Ottoman Empire – Italy sees France as its biggest threat, and joins, too

• #2- the Triple Entente (later called the Allies)– France– Russia joins against Germany and Austria-Hungary – England is eventually coaxed out of its ‘splendid isolation’

because of growing fears of German power • More details on the next slide

• Naming confusion – Triple Alliance versus Allies

Italy

Why Has Britain Abandoned Splendid Isolation?

• British-German Naval Escalation– William II orders a bunch of modern battleships built

• England feels threatened and builds the mightiest battleship on the planet– HMS Dreadnought– Fastest ship, best armor, and best firepower on the planet

• However, in a sense, Britain just helped the Germans– The old navies are obsolete– In one sense, Germany is now one boat behind

Dreadnoughts

Germany Quickly Responded By Building Its Own

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Parisgun2.jpg

Balkan Powder Keg

• Ottomans are losing power over the region • Lots of different nationalities in the Balkans want nations of

their own – Old nationalism

• Russia and Austria-Hungary see the area as ripe for their own colonial designs – New nationalism

• Russia portrays itself as protector of the Slavic groups in the Balkans

• If either gets too much Balkan land, it will destabilize the entire European … _______________________– Balance of Power

• Think of the Balkans as an early 20th century version of today’s Middle East

Four M.A.I.N. causes… but also a ‘trigger mechanism’

Alliances

ImperialismMilitarism

Nationalism

Assassination

Small Wars in the Balkans

• Tensions are not as intense before 1900 – Great Powers distracted by New Imperialism– Then everything is taken up… no more easy wars to

distract from European problems

• Series of small wars in the Balkans – Locals, especially Serbians, wanted a nation– Austria-Hungary cannot allow an example of

successful old nationalism on their border

• Russia wants to be seen as a protector of the Slavs so it can’t stand by

The Assassination Event

• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand – Austro-Hungarian prince – Visiting land conquered by Austria-H that has a large Serbian

population (Bosnia-Herzegovina) • The Black Hand

– A patriotic group of Serbs, supposedly operating on their own, but actually with secret support of the government

– Kill Ferdinand– Their point is: leave Serbia/Serbians alone so we can build a state

• Assassination – Assassins all had Tuberculosis – Failed attempts– Gavrilo Princeps- oddly ‘fortunate’

How Did This Single Shooting in the Balkans Ignite a World War?

• Austria-H declares war on Serbia – Russia pulled in to protect Serbs/Slavs– Germany is dragged in as an ally of Austria-H

• Everyone is afraid to not be first – Military timetables

• Think about the Prussian victories over Austria and France – Military leaders manage to convince political leaders that there is not time

for politics – Barbara Tuchman- The Guns of August

• Conservative Politicians Have Increasingly Needed a Distraction From Class Struggles at Home – Hoped for a short decisive war (again, think Austro-Prussian, Austro-

French Wars) but wouldn’t get it – The long one that comes does a lot to destroy the remaining strands of the

great chain

The Schlieffen Plan

• German military plan in case of total war• The Germans have determined that if there

is a general war, they can’t afford to attack to the east first. Why not?– You’ve got an angry/humiliated France to the

west

• Germany’s Schlieffen Plan is also designed to avoid a two-front war for Germany

Central PowersWestern Allies

Eastern Allies

@!$&!!!!

We’ve got him

surrounded! Attack!

Now it’s your turn…Ha, ha,

ha, ha…

Schlieffen Plan

The Actual Fighting

• Schlieffen Plan Failed– Invasion through neutral Belgium (to catch France off guard and

deliver a quick knock out blow) gets Britain off of the fence

• French/British forces stop the Germans at the Marne River – 1st Battle of the Marne

• By this point, Russia has attacked in the East and Germany must split its army

• A general European war is now on• Side fact- Italy decided that, despite its treaty obligations,

the Germans and Austro-Hungarians were going to lose– Decides to declare neutrality at the beginning of the war

The Tangle of Alliances

Hansen Name ___________AP Euro

The Outbreak of WWI (note-taking guide)

• Bismarck’s System of Alliance– He (and Germany) really were ________________ – Pursued a System of Alliances

• Goal: _________________________________________• Isolate France…why?

– France ________________________________, Alsace-Lorraine, etc.

• _____________, but balance __________________– Why are these two such a concern?

» _______________ with ___________ _________________________

• Deal with ______________________________ from the crumbling _______________ in southeast Europe

– Aka _______________________– Host of _____________ problems there– We’ll come back to this

– Example of Bismarck’s genuine attempts to keep peace • Encourages France _________________ land, just not in

______________________– Many of Bismarck’s Alliances were ____________… – Series of shifting alliances under Bismarck is ______________.

• William II Bungled Bismarck’s Alliance System – He’s _________________________– He gets rid of ______________ because ______ is pro-Russian – Alienated Russia – ________ jumps on this to make _____________ with Russia – German gov. under William II is ______________________…

does a lot to stir up a hornet’s nest of European problems• Rival Alliance Groups Formed

– #1- the Triple Alliance (later called the ______________________)• Germany • _______________________ joins because of tensions with

Russia over the ___________________ Ottoman Empire • Italy sees ________ as its biggest threat, and joins, ______

– #2- the Triple Entente (later called the ________________)• France• Russia joins against Germany and Austria-Hungary • __________ is eventually coaxed out of its

‘_______________’ because of growing fears of ____________________

– More details on the next slide – Naming confusion

• Triple Alliance versus Allies

• Why had Britain Abandoned Splendid Isolation? – ______________________________________________

• William II orders a bunch of modern battleships built– England feels threatened and builds the mightiest battleship on

the planet• HMS Dreadnought• _____________ ship, best ___________, and best

_____________on the planet – However, in a sense, Britain ________________ the Germans

• The old navies ________________________• In one sense, Germany is now ___________________

• Balkan _____________________________ – Ottomans are losing power over the region – Lots of different nationalities in the Balkans want nations of their

own • _____________________________

– Russia and Austria-Hungary see the area as ripe for their own colonial designs

• __________________________– Russia portrays itself as protector of the _____________ in the

Balkans – If either gets too much Balkan land, it will destabilize the entire

European …• _______________________________

– Think of the Balkans as an early 20th century version of _______ ___________________________________________

• Four M.A.I.N. causes… but also a ‘trigger mechanism’– M - _________________________________– A- __________________________________– I- ___________________________________– N- __________________________________– Trigger

• Small Wars in the Balkans – Tensions are not as intense before 1900

• Great Powers distracted by _____________________• Then everything is _____________… no more

_______________ to distract from ______________________– Series of small wars in the Balkans

• Locals, especially _____________, wanted a nation• Austria-Hungary cannot allow an example of ____________

_____________________ on their border– Russia wants to be seen as a protector of the Slavs so it can’t ________

• The Assassination Event – Assassination of Archduke _________________________

• _________________________________• Visiting land conquered by Austria-H that has a large

Serbian population (_____________________) – The Black Hand

• A ______________________- Serbs, supposedly operating on their own, but actually with secret ______ ___________________________________________

• Kill Ferdinand• Their point is: __________________________ so we

can ____________________________________– Assassination

• Assassins all had _____________________• Failed attempts• Gavrilo Princeps- oddly ‘fortunate’

• How did This Single Shooting Ignite a War? – Austria-H declares war on Serbia

• ____________________________ to protect Serbs/Slavs• Germany is dragged in as an _____________________

– Everyone is afraid to not be first • _________________________________

– Think about the Prussian victories over _______ _________________________________

• Military leaders manage to convince political leaders that there is ___________________________________

• ____________________ The Guns of August– Conservative Politicians Have Increasingly Needed

___________ From _____________________ at Home • Hoped for a short decisive war (again, think Austro-

Prussian, Austro-French Wars) but wouldn’t get it • The long one that comes does a lot to destroy the

remaining strands ____________________________• The Schlieffen Plan

– German military plan in case _________________________– The Germans have determined that if there is a general war, they can’t

afford to attack to the east first. Why not? • You’ve got an ________________________ France to the west

– Germany’s Schlieffen Plan is also designed to avoid a ________________ for Germany

• The Actual Fighting – Schlieffen Plan _____________________

• Invasion through _______________ (to catch France _____________ and deliver a quick _________________ blow) gets Britain ____________________________

– French/British forces stop the Germans at the Marne River • ________________________

– By this point, Russia has attacked in the East and Germany must _____ __________________________________

– A general European war is now on– Side fact- Italy decided that, despite its treaty obligations, the Germans

and Austro-Hungarians were going to lose• Decides to ____________________ at the beginning of the war