UNIT 2 WORLD WAR I

Causes of World War I

Causes / Explanation
imperialism
  • the policy of one nation acquiring another countryor region
/
  • European nations - Great Powers - established colonies to create empires
  • they exploited the land and resources
  • they wanted raw materials and markets for their manufactured goods
  • European empires aggressively pursued colonies in Africa
  • Germany in conflict with Britain and France
  • Russia, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman empires wanted to control Balkans (refer to Figure 2-3 p.27)

militarism
  • a nation’s policy of maintaining armed forces ready for war
/
  • Great Powers developed strong military to protectcolonies
  • Britain had the largest navy and Germany wanted to match it
  • Britain built the Dreadnought and Germany built it as well (refer to Figure 2-2 p.27)
  • France concerned about German military strength
  • arms race increased tension

alliances
  • agreement among nations toward a common goal
/
  • rivalries between Great Powers resulted in alliances
to support and protect one another
  • Triple Alliance - Germany and Austria-Hungary
vs
Triple Entente - France, Britain, Russia
  • Great Powers hoped alliances would reduce the threat of war
  • alliances made it easier for a country to be drawn into war

nationalism
  • pride and patriotism
in one’s nation /
  • Great Powers’ nationalism fueled imperialism
  • intense nationalism existed in Balkans as Austria-Hungary contained Slavs who wanted independence
  • Serbs in Bosnia wanted independence from Austria
  • Serbia wanted control of Bosnia and unite Slavs to from Greater Serbia

Assassination of ArchdukeFranz Ferdinand
  • heir to throne
/
  • June 28 assassination of Ferdinand in Sarajevo, Bosnia by Serbian Gavrilo Princip of the Black Hand triggered a chain reaction that started the war

Schlieffen Plan
  • German invasion plan
/
  • August 2 Germany invades neutral Belgium as part of the Schlieffen Plan for attacking France

Source:Causes of the First World War -Counterpoints p.26-30

Steps to War – June 28-August 4 1914

  • June 28 – Austrian Archduke Ferdinand assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia by Serb nationalist
  • July 23 - Austria gives Serbia 48 hour ultimatum; Serbia does not agree to all terms and mobilizes
  • July 28 - Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia; Serbia turns to Russia for help
  • July 29 - Russian Czar Nicholas agrees to help Serbia and mobilizes army
  • July 30 - Germany sends Russia ultimatum to halt mobilization; Russia refuses
  • August 1 - German declares war on Russia; France mobilizes army
  • August 2 - Germany invades neutral Belgium as part of the Schlieffen Plan for attacking France
  • August 3 - Germany declares war on France; Britain gives German ultimatum to halt invasion of Belgium
  • August 4 - Germany does not reply to British ultimatum; Britain declares war on Germany