World War I

Introduction

Begins in August 1914 continues through early November 1918

Had been known as “The Great War” and “The War to End All Wars”

Was great only in size and devastation---did not end all wars

The Immediate cause was the assassination of an Austro-Hungarian Archduke by a Serbian nationalist in Sarajevo, Bosnia on June 28, 1914

It was the underlying cause that fueled a war of epic proportion:

Causes of WWI

1.European economic rivalry

With industrialization the European powers were in competition to acquire new markets and establish global empires

  • Ex. France and Germany had sights set on mineral-rich Morocco
  • Austria-Hungary wanted access to the Aegean through the Balkans
  • Russia wanted control over the Bosporus and the Strait of Dardanelles
  1. Militarism

The political and economic rivalry leads directly to foreign policy implementing the creation of large standing armies replenished and augmented through peacetime conscription

Rival assessed one another’s training, spending and size (military)

  1. Alliances

The tension and insecurity fostered by militarism led in turn to the formation of military alliances or defense agreements among nations

(1882) The Triple Alliance: Austria-Hungary, Germany, Italy

The Triple Entente: France, Great Britain, Russia

  1. Nationalism

Pride in one’s own nation/group and traditions seeking independence from outside rule

This spirit had unified Germany in 1871

France felt incomplete without Alsace and Lorraine (lost in the Franco-Prussian War)

Pan-Slavism was a movement towards a Slavic Empire-Yugoslavia Nation

Threatens Austria-Hungary w/ Slavic minority

Austria-Hungary already annexed Bosnia-Hergovina in 1908

All that was required to destroy the peace was a “spark”

Archduke Francis Ferdinand (heir to Austro-Hungarian throne) and his wife are assassinated while on a diplomatic mission to Sarajevo by a member of a Slavic nationalist group (The Black Hand) Gavrilo Princip

Austro-Hungarian leaders blame the Serbs

German Emperor William II pledges German support to Austria-Hungary

Serbia is given an ultimatum---allow Austro-Hungarian officials into Serbia to suppress the subversives or force war

Trying to avoid a war they could not win Serbia gives partial compliance

Dissatisfied, Austria-Hungary declares war and mobilizes---ignoring Russia

Russian then partially mobilizes against Austria-Hungary—Germany warns Russia

  • Nicholas II and William II are cousins

(August 1) Germany declares war on Russia

The French begin mobilizing on Germany

(August 2) German troops cross Luxembourg and declare war on France

Belgium protests that its neutrality was guaranteed

Great Britain warns Germany—they ignore

(August 4) Britain declares war on Germany

Italy would remain neutral until May 23, 1915—breaking from the Triple Alliance, they declare war on Austria-Hungary

Allied PowersCentral Powers

Great BritainGermany

FranceAustria-Hungary

RussiaTurkey

SerbiaBulgaria

Japan

Montenegro