Modern Europe
Spring Semester
Heubeck
The Causes of World War I
On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungry declared war on Serbia. Four days later, Germany declared war in Russia. Two days later, Germany and France declared war on each other and by extension, France went to war with Austria-Hungary. One day after that, Britain, reacting to Germany’s invasion of Belgium, declared war on Germany. The five major European nations and their colonies engaged in so-called Total War. Five years later and over 15.6 million deaths later, the Great War ended.
Sources: Everett, Susan, History of World War I, (page 248), Bison Books, 1980.
Tucker, Spencer C. The European Powers in the First World War: An Encyclopedia, Garland Publishing,
New York, 1996
Major Causes
· The Alliance System
o The fear of being in the “minority of two”
o See separate handout
· Balkans
o The “powder keg” of Europe
o Centuries of hatreds and animosities
o Territories of the crumbling Ottoman Empire
o Berlin Conference of 1878
o Pan-Slavism fuelled by Russia and Serbia
o Various ethnicities, religions, languages
o Appealing to Russia and Austria-Hungary
o Two Balkan Wars (1912 and 1913)
· Imperialism
o England and France’s desire to maintain and increase territories without competition
o Germany’s desire to become an imperial power was resented by France and England
o Two crises in Morocco involving Germany and France/England
· Militarism/Arms Race
o German emphasis on navy, especially the U-Boats
o German creation of the Schleiffen Plan
o New technology, better weapons
· Crisis of Humanity
o Problems of modern humanity
§ Nietzsche and the Will to Power
§ Freud and psychoanalysis
§ Attack on religion
§ Growing poverty and discontent of working class
§ Communism/anarchy
§ Enfranchisement
§ Realism movement in art and literature
· Industrialization
o Greater working class demands
o Labor strikes
o Fabians, socialists, communists
· Nationalism
o German aggression inside and outside of Europe
o Pan-Slavism