Download Causes of WWI

CAUSES of WWI
Causes of WWI
• IMPERIALISM
– European nations
competing for
colonies
– Economic rivalries
(colonies served as
foreign markets &
created wealth for
colonizer)
– Balance of power in
a region
Causes of WWI
• MILITARISM
– Arms race
(expansion of armies
and navies)
– Lack of trust
Causes of WWI
• NATIONALISM
– ‘us v. them’ mentality
– Glorification of own leadership, race, culture (pride)
– Desire for political independence or push for unity of a
particular race or culture (e.g., Greater Serbia, AlsaceLorraine)
Alliances
•
•
Agreement formed btwn
countries for mutual benefit
Before war:
– Triple Entente: Great Britain,
France, Russia
– Triple Alliance: Germany,
Austria-Hungary, Italy
•
During war:
– Allies: Great Britain, France,
Russia, Japan, Italy (1915),
U.S. (1917)
– Central Powers: Germany,
Austria-Hungary,Ottoman
Empire
What Triggered the War?
• Assassination of
Archduke Franz
Ferdinand
– Heir to throne of A-H
empire
– June 28, 1914
– Sarajevo
– Shot by a Serbian
nationalist
TIMELINE
• 1908: Austria annexed Bosnia &
Herzegovina > int’l crisis > war averted
• 1912-1913: Balkan Wars (Serbia,
Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia, Greece,
etc.) - fought to obtain Ottoman
Empire’s European territories
• June 28, 1914: Archduke assassinated
Alliances Trigger Chain of Events
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July 28, 1914: Austria declares war
on Serbia
July 31: Russia mobilizing; ally of
Serbia
Aug. 1: Germany declares war on
Russia; French mobilize; Italy &
Belgium declare neutrality; Germany
& Ottoman Empire – secret treaty
Aug. 3: Germany declares war on
France; Great Britain mobilizes
Aug. 4:
– Germany goes through neutral
Belgium & Luxembourg (Aug 2)
– Great Britain declares war on
Germany, due to invasion of
neutral countries, & war on A-H
– U.S. declares neutrality
Aug 6: A-H declares war on Russia
Aug 11-12: France & Great Britain
declare war on A-H
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Aug. 23/25: Japan declares war on
Germany/A-H; grabs Ger. sphere of
influence in China
Oct. 29: Ottoman Empire joins
Central Powers
Nov 1/5: Russia /France & Great
Britain declare war on Ottoman E.
May 23, 1915: Italy declares war A-H
Aug. 28, 1916: Italy declares war on
Germany
April 6, 1917: U.S. declares war on
Germany