WORLD WAR I

1914-1918
FIVE Reasons For War
MANIA!
 Militarism
 Alliances
 Nationalism
 Imperialism
 Assassination
Militarism=The development of armed
forces and their use as a tool of
diplomacy
 Arms Race=build up military and keep it strong
 Increased military spending to protect empire
 Plans to quickly mobilize
 1890, Strongest Nation=Germany=strong
military “program”
 Britain=island=relied on Navy=best navy
 Naval arms race
 Belief that best Military =best Country.
Alliances

 In 1907 Two Major Ones

 These alliances were
SECRET
 Alliances
 Triple Entente (AKA the Allies)
 France, GB, Russia
 Triple Alliance
 Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
 Germany, Austria-Hungary, &
Ottoman Empire (Middle Eastern
lands controlled by the Turks),
Would become the Central Powers
Nationalism

 A devotions to the interests and culture of

one’s nation
 For the West, it started in the 1800s
 Competition to prove which country is best
 Resources, markets, age old feuds
 Germany, Austria-Hungary, Great Britain,
Russia, Italy, and France are all in a great
competition w/ each other.
Imperialism

 European countries have been slowly building

empires
 Quest for Colonies in Asia and Africa
 Deepened rivalries and competition
 Colonies suppled Europe with raw materials
and provided markets for manufactured
goods
 Britain & France=long established
 New Kids on the Block=Germany & US
Assassination!

 Balkan Peninsula=“powder keg of Europe”

 Russia to Mediterranean sea
 Germany wants trains to Ottoman Empire
 Austria-Hungary control issues in Serbia
 June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand heir to Austrian-
Hungarian throne
 Shot by Serbian Nationalists Gavrilo Princip, a member
of the Black Hand, while touring Sarajevo, Bosnia
 Austria-Hungary declares war against Serbia…THIS IS
THE SPARK!
The motions had been set…

 One country after another was drawn into the

war…