Download Causes of WWI

Causes of WWI
Before the War
• Roots of WWI go back to the 1870s
• Long term causes of the war:
MAIN – Militarism, Alliances,
Imperialism, Nationalism
• German Empire created 1871
• Rapidly industrialized
• Large army and navy
• Alliance with Italy and Austria-Hungary
(controlled southeastern Europe)
• Triple Alliance – Germany, AustriaHungary and Italy (changes sides)
• Later becomes the Central Powers)
Militarism and Alliance System
• German army doubled from 1870-1914
• New Large navy threatened Great Britain
• Created an arms race
•
•
Russia feared Germany would
invade to expand
•
Russia, France, and Great Britain
unite against German threat and
form the Triple Entente
Imperialism
• Large European nations carved up the world
• Africa, Asia, and other parts of Europe
• Austria-Hungary controlled majority of the Balkans
• Annexed Bosnia in 1908
• Area of ethnic Serbians, Croats,
Romanians
• Resisted control by a powerful
Empire
• Pushed for independence and
creation of their own nation
• Russia supported the Serbs
Nationalism
• Feelings of intense pride in homeland
• Germany wanted their “day in the sun”
• 12 nationalities in AH alone
• Inspired Balkan territories to want independence from imperialist AH and
create their own nation
• Yugoslavia
• Leads to the immediate cause of the war
• The Assassination of heir to the AH throne
– Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The Assassination
• June 28 1914
• Archduke Franz Ferdinand visits Bosnian capital of Sarajevo
• Promoting Austro-Hungarian rule in the Balkan region
• Bosnian Nationalist Gavarilo Princip assassinates the Archduke
• Member of Serbian terrorist group
• Against rule by the AH Empire
• AH immediately declares ware on Serbia
• Blamed them for the attack
The War Begins
• AH declares war on Serbia
• Serbia backed by Russia
• Russia backed by France and Great Britain
• Russia mobilizes army on German border
• August 1 1914 – Germany declares war on Russia
• France declares war on Germany 2 days later
• “The Great War” 1914-1918
• US stays neutral and doesn’t join until 1917
America Enters WWI
The War Escalates
• Triple Entente = Allies (Britain, France,
Russia)
• Central Powers = Germany, Austria Hungary
• New weaponry creates a stalemate along
the western front
• Both sides forced to dig trenches
• Neither side gains much ground
• 2 million Russians die in 1914 alone
• US practicing isolationism
• Wilson declares US neutral
• Public mostly supported Allies
• Trade reasons
• Gave $$ and supplies to Britain
• Some banks lent $ to Germany
The Lusitania
• British began intercepting ships to blockade trade to Germany
• Germany retaliated by stating it would sink any boat in British waters
• Deployed submarines called U-boats
• Stop shipment of food and supplies
• May 1915 – British passenger ship Lusitania shot by German U-Boat
• Killed 1200 passengers – 128 Americans
• Angered Americans and many began to favor war
Wilson Keeps US Out
• Wilson demands German’s to stop unrestricted sub warfare
• Sussex Pledge
• Deal between the US and Germany
• Germany would not attack ships
• US avoids war
• Helps Wilson win re-election in 1916
• “He kept us out of the war”
Zimmerman Telegram
• Arthur Zimmerman sent telegram to German ambassador in Mexico
• If Mexico became a German ally, Germany would give all territories lost
to the US ( Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas)
• Leaked to the public in 1917
• Americans realized war was necessary
• Germany goes back to unrestricted sub warfare
• Sank 6 American ships
• US declares war in April 1917
• Wilson – “must make the world safe
for democracy”
The Home Front
• US gov’t increased taxes and sold bonds to pay for
the war
• “Liberty bonds”- investments that are paid back
later
• Americans that didn’t serve could still play a part
• 1 million women joined the workforce
• Factories, shipyards, railroads
• Great Migration
• Thousands of African American’s left the South to
work in the north
• “Selling the War”
• Committee on Public Information
• Use propaganda to gain support for the war
Building the Military
• Only 300,000 soldiers
• Selective Service Act
• Required all men 21-30 to sign up for a draft
• Randomly selected through a lottery
• 2 million volunteered
• Racism
• African American’s forced to be cooks, laborers,
and laundrymen