THE FIRST WORLD WARCHAPTER 11 SECTION 1

THE CAUSES OF WORLD WAR I

The “ism’s”

INDIRECT CAUSES (THERE WILL BE 4)

YOU KNOW THIS ONE!!

Nationalism is that deep devotion to your country

As we have seen – it can be competitive

It can also develop into rivalries

“I am bigger and badder than you and I can prove

it by taking you on and crushing you to dust”

INDIRECT CAUSE #2

IMPERIALISM

HEY YOU’VE HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE TOO!

The major (industrialized ) powers of Europe such as Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Great Britain,

Italy, and France are starting to have run ins over:

Control over varies peoples

Raw Materials

Markets for manufactured goods

EX. In 1905 and 1911 Germany and France both wanted Morocco, most countries supported

France and Germany backed down but it led to bitter feelings which grew

Another EX. Old rivalries such as the one between France and Germany over Alsace and Lorraine

(areas which once belonged to France, but that they lost after losing the Franco-Prussian War

AND BEHIND DOOR #3

3rd Indirect Cause.. Militarism

Def. – The development of armed forces and their use as a tool of diplomacy

Reflected nationalists pride – led to an arms race

THE GOAL OF MILITARISM…

To have a strong, well stronger, well strongest army in case someone

should want to attack your great nation – or in case you find it

necessary to attack them!!

FINAL INDIRECT CAUSE

ALLIANCES

ALLIANCES

Otto von Bismarck wanted peace above all things once he had Germany united

under Wilhelm I

Von Bismarck saw France as the greatest threat to German security – so…

To isolate France he made an alliance with Austria-Hungary, Italy, and later Russia

The idea was “France would be stupid to take on Germany knowing they’d have to fight all these

other nations too”

A NEW GERMANY LEADER

When his father dies, Wilhelm II takes the reigns in Germany as King

(Kaiser Wilhelm II) – Wilhelm I was his grandfather, but his father was

too ill to really take power and he dies soon after leaving his son in

charge

He almost immediately dismisses von Bismarck (most say because he did

no want to share any power)

He begins to build a huge navy (to rival Great Britain)

He let’s the German alliance with Russia expire

FOREIGN RESPONSE TO GERMANY’S AGGRESSION

Great Britain (concerned about Germany’s fleet expansion) enlarged

their own fleet

Russia is ticked at Germany so they form an alliance with…..

France and Britain!!

HERE’S HOW THE NEW ALLIANCES STACK UP SO FAR…

The Triple Alliance

Germany

Austria-Hungary

Italy

The Triple Entente

France

Britain

Russia

CAUSES OF WWI - DIRECT

Serbia

BACKGROUND ON SERBIA

Serbia had recently received independence from the Austria-Hungary

Empire

Now Serbia wants to expand and unite with other Slavic people

(nationalism)

This is supported by Russia (a Slavic nation themselves)

This was opposed by Austro-Hungary Empire (as they help Slavic people within

their Empire’s boarders – but were not a Slavic dominant Empire)

Ie. Bosnia

SERBIA (CONTINUED)

Serbia has gained independence and has recently (as in 1914)

scored some small victories in boarder disputes and skirmishes

=> so they are feeling pretty confident

THE SPARK

The Place: Sarajevo, Bosnia

The Year: 1914

The Event: A parade gone wrong

THE TARGET

Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary

(heir to the throne)

THE ASSASSIN

Gavrilo Princip

member of the Black hand - A Serbian Terrorist

Organization

THE STORY OF THE ASSASSINATION THAT SPARKS WORLD WAR I

On June 28, 1914 Princip participated in the assassination in Sarajevo.

General Oskar Potiorek, Governor of the Austrian provinces of Bosnia-

Herzegovina had invited Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophia to watch

his troops on maneuvers. Franz Ferdinand knew that the visit would be

dangerous. Just before 10 o’clock on Sunday, the royal couple arrived in

Sarajevo by train. In the front car was Fehim Curic, the Mayor of Sarajevo

and Dr. Gerde, the city’s Commissioner of Police. Franz Ferdinand and

Sophia were in the second car with Oskar Potiorek and Count von

Harrach. The car’s top was rolled back in order to allow the crowds a

good view of its occupants, Franz Ferdinand and his wife.

THE STORY OF THE ASSASSINATION THAT SPARKS WORLD WAR I

(CONTINUED)

At 10:10 when the six car procession passed the central police station,

Nedeljko Cabrinovic hurled a hand grenade at the archduke’s car. After

Carbrinovic’s bomb missed the Archduke’s car, he and five other

conspirators, including Princip, didn’t get an opportunity to attack because

of the heavy crowd. It was beginning to look like the assassination would

fail. However, Franz Ferdinand decided to go to the hospital and visit the

victims of Cabrinovic’s bomb. In order to avoid the city centre, General

Oskar Potiorek, decided that the royal car should travel straight along the

Appel Quay to the Sarajevo Hospital. However, Potiorek forgot to tell the

driver, Franz Urban, about this decision. On the way to the hospital,

Urban took a right turn into Franz Joseph Street.

CONCLUSION

Princip had gone to a nearby shop for a sandwich, apparently giving up,

when he spotted Ferdinand’s car as it drove past, having taken the wrong

turn. After realizing the mistake, the driver put his foot on the break, and

began to back up. In doing so, he moved slowly past the waiting Princip.

Princip stepped forward drew his gun, and at a distance of about five feet,

fired several times into the car. Franz Ferdinand was hit in the neck and

Sophia in the abdomen. They were driven to the governor’s residence

where they died within an hour from their wounds

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT – COLLECTIVE GASP

Germany urges Austria-Hungary to retaliate against Serbia

Because that is where Princip was from

And so…Austria declares war on Serbia

NEXT????

Russia mobilizes its army towards Austria

Why??????

Because Serbia is a fellow Slavic nation who is about to be crushed by the Empire of

Austria-Hungary (kind of like standing up for a little brother or sister)

Says European powers

ITS TOO LATE TO STOP NOW!

IN COMES AMERICA – WHY?

1. THE LUSITANIA

The Lusitania

1- UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE

The Lusitania was a British passenger vessel on its way

from New York to England (May 1915)

The Germans suspected it was carrying ammunition to

the British and fired upon the ship sinking it off the coast

of Ireland

1, 198 passengers died (198 were Americans)

1- UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE

President Wilson and the American people are outraged

To keep America from entering the war in 1915, Germany

makes a promise that they will stop attacking neutral/passenger

ships (they actually do – for 2 years)

1 – UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE

In 1916 (to combat a very successful British blockade) Germany

announced that they would resume USW – now any ship in British

waters were targets for the German U-boats

#2 ZIMMERMAN TELEGRAM

In January 1917, a telegram from Germany to Mexico was intercepted by the British

SO????

The letter urged the Mexican government to invade the United States

Can you guess why???

#2 ZIMMERMANN TELEGRAM

In return, Germany promised that once they won the war they would

give Mexico the Southwestern US (the land they had lost to the US

following the Mexican-American War)