Download The Great War Lecture Notes: World War I

Causes of World War I
Dates of WWI: 1914-1918
World War I – Causes
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Militarism
Alliances
Imperialism
Nationalism
Militarism
 Countries increased the size and strength of their military to protect their colonies and
prove their military power (justified by Social Darwinism / “strongest survive”)
 Naval rivalry between Germany and Britain
 France extended mandatory military service
 Russia’s military spending was doubled
Alliances
Alliance – Two or more countries agree to aid each other in time of war.
Before the war secret alliances were formed
Triple Alliance – 1882
 Italy, Austria-Hungary (later Germany)
Triple Entente – 1894
 France, Russia (later Britain)
 Major powers bound together making it impossible to solve problems peacefully
 War spread quickly across Europe
Alliance System After the War Started
Central Powers
 Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire
Allied Powers
 Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Romania, Greece
Imperialism
 Countries were trying to become the most dominant imperial power
 Competing for colonies caused conflict and disputes over land, new markets, and raw
materials.
 France and Germany especially competitive
Nationalism
 Nationalism or “extreme patriotism” caused the desire to grow and repress other nations
and people.
 Nationalism viewed as a threat by countries that had many ethnicities (Austria-Hungary)
 French Nationalists
 Want to regain power in Europe
 Bitter over loss to Germany in Franco-Prussian war (want revenge)
 German Nationalists
 Proud of recent industrialization and desire to expand empire
 Russian Nationalists
 Support the creation of a Slavic state (Serbia)