Mariana Molina Fuentes

1) Imperialist rivalry

Great Britain
Germany
USA
Japan

2) Alliance system:

Triple Alliance Triple Entente

Germany + Austria – Hungary + Italy VS GB + France + Russia
3) The armed peace (1871 – 1914)
-Technological innovations applied to the creation of new weapons

*Industrial Revolution

4) Nationalism and propaganda

-Austria – Hungary annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina, provoking Servia’s reaction

-Servia asked for help to Russia, and then to GB and France.

-Creation of the Balkans League, against the Ottoman Empire.

-June, 1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand was murdered in Sarajevo.

-Austria – Hungary and Servia broke relations. In response, the Russian government
declared that it would defend Servia from any attack.

- The British government tried to avoid war through negotiation, but it was not possible.

Austria – Hungary vs Servia

Germany vs Russia

* France did not accept its neutrality in the conflict

 Germany vs France

- Germany invaded Belgium in order to reach France. Thus, Great Britain

decided to enter the war.

Great Britain vs Germany

-Mutsuhito had intentions of colonizing Northern China, and feared the opposition of
the Triple Entente and the USA.

Japan vs Germany
* Schlieffen Plan:
Mobilization through Belgium, attack
against France, and destruction of the
French army in 6 weeks.

* Plan 17:
Concentration of the French army in the
south.
None of the plans resulted, thus both armies adopted a
defensive attitude.

This situation resulted in a phase known as the Trench

warfare.
Turkey and Italy have a strategic position:

1)The Triple Entente searched for an alliance with Italy (even though it had a pact with
Germany and Austria – Hungary).
2)On the other hand, Germany and Austria – Hungary searched for the Turkish support
against Russia.
-The Turkish decided to support Germany and
Austria – Hungary, which obtained a victory
over the French – British alliance and won
many battles over Russia.

-The Italians considered the convenience of

building an alliance with the Entente. Greece
and Romania did the same.

This allowed the Entente to establish a blockade, thus avoiding the food, weapons, and
medicine suministers for the German army.
The blockade affected Germany seriously, and the military forces decided to change their
strategy. They focused on submarine attacks.

1915: The ship Lusitania was attacked

by a German submarine, with no
previous warning.

The US president, Woodrow Wilson,

opposed to the submarine war under the
argument that it was cruel

* Since that moment, Wilson tried to be a mediator among the European countries.
The German military forces planned a batlle of attrition; which meant a continuous
attack to the French army.

-The battle occurred in Verdun, and it lasted 10 months. Germany lost the battle.
1917: The Mexican government recieved a telegram from the German External
Affairs Minister, Arthur Zimmerman.
-The telegram proposed Mexico to build an alliance with Germany. A victory in the
war would mean the recovery of the territories lost in the war against the USA (1846 –
1848)

- Woodrow Wilson declared that the USA would enter the conflict to reach the peace
in Europe.
1918: Woodrow Wilson presented a document known as 14 points, in which he
explained the main principles by which, according to his own view, should rule
international relations.

- The most important proposal in the document was the creation of the League of
Nations.
 1918: GB and France attacked Germany in Amiens.
The German army was too weak, and lost the battle.

Austria – Hungary and Turkey surrendered to the British army.

The Entente attacked the German army again. Three days later, Germany proposed to
end the conflict.

*November 11,1918: The war was officialy ended by the Treaty of Versailles.
 Treaty Effects
Rome Pact Destruction of Austria - Hungary
-Germany lost part of its territories, which were
Treaty of Versailles controlled by France, Poland, Denmark, and the
League of Nations.
-Germany lost its colonies.

Austria lost part of its territories.

Treaty of Saint Germain -This situation provoked a rivalry between
Austria and Hungary.

Treaty of Trianon - Hungary lost control over Transilvania, which

was given to Romania.
-Destruction of the Ottoman Empire.
Treaty of Sevres - Palestine became a British protectorate.
- Italy and France obtained control areas in
Turkey. This was not recognized by Mustafa
Kemal (Atatürk)
 Treaty Effects
Balfour
Declaration - Right of the Jewish to settle in Palestine.
(1917)
Treaty of Brest - Russia left the war.
– Litovsk - To do so, they recognized the independence of
(1918) Finland, Poland, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania and
Estonia.

This treaty can only be explained by the internal situation in Russia