Transcript MAIN Causes of WWI

The Road to World
War I
Main Causes of WWI
M ILITARISM
A LLIANCES
I MPERIALISM
N
ATIONALISM
Militarism
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Militarism: aggressive preparation for war
Germany had set up an army reserve system by 1890.
Britain had always depended on its navy so they were
not alarmed by ground troops. In 1897 Germany began
building a sea power which alarmed Britain.
 Italy, Japan, and the US quickly joined the naval
arms race.
Conscription: a military draft
Alliances
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By 1907 there were two major alliances in Europe.
 Triple Entente (The Allies) consisted of France,
Britain, and Russia.
 Triple Alliance consisted of Germany, AustriaHungary, and Italy. (Italy never fought with the
Triple Alliance. Germany, Austria-Hungary and the
Ottoman Empire would become the Central Powers
during WWI)
Imperialism
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The building of empires led to competition
between European powers.
Example: France had lost Alsace-Lorraine
previously to Germany. France wanted it back.
Nationalism
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Nationalism: devotion to the interests and culture of
one’s nation or ethnicity
Russia viewed themselves as the protector of the Slavic
people including the Serbs of Serbia.
 Serbia was under control of Austria-Hungary making
Russia and Austria-Hungary rivals.
MAIN Causes of WWI “4 Square”
Create a 4-square titled “MAIN Causes of World
War I.”
In each section, define one of the main causes and
draw a picture that represents the word being
defined.
You must use color.
Starter (November 2)
Assassination Sparks War
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The Balkans were considered the “powder keg of Europe.”
 Austria-Hungary had taken control of Bosnia (a Slavic nation)
in 1878 and blamed Serbia for interfering with their rule in
Bosnia.
June 1914—Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his
wife Sophie in Sarajevo (capital of Bosnia)
 Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb and a member of a
nationalist group (The Black Hand) murdered the archduke.
Causes of World War I — History.com Video
Domino Effect Leads to World War
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July 28, 1914 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia
July 29, 1914 Czar Nicholas II of Russia calls for mobilization
August 1, 1914 Germany declared war on Russia
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August 3, 1914 Germany declared war on France
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Enacted Schliefflen Plan: two front war against both France and Russia
(the two had an alliance dating back to 1894); action would be taken on
France first while holding off Russian troops; after defeating France, the
Germans would focus on Russia
To invade France, Germany would have to travel through neutral
Belgium.
August 4, 1914 Great Britain declared war on Germany for
violating Belgian neutrality
Starter Apri
World War I—The War
1914-1919
Allies During WWI
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The Allies
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Great Britain
France
Russia
Italy (switches to this side
May 1915)
US (joins in 1917)
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Central Powers
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Germany
Austria-Hungary
Ottoman Empire
Italy (switches to the
Allies in May 1915)
Selling the War
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Propaganda: ideas spread to influence public
opinion for or against a cause
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In WWI, primarily posters.
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PRO-nation or anti-enemy
British Propaganda
German Propaganda
US Propaganda
Beginning of War
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European nations thought the war would end
within a few weeks.
The US remained neutral until 1917.
Germany’s Two-Front War
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Western Front
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War in France
Stalemate
Trenches
Troops held in virtually
the same position for 4
years
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Eastern Front
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War on Russia
Serbia eliminated from
war in 1915
German and Austrian
success in the east helped
them focus on the west.
Trench Warfare
World War I: Trench Warfare — History.com Photo Galleries
New Technologies
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WWI Firsts — History.com Video
Evolution of the war plane:
Scouting to spot enemies
 Attack of ground troops
 Handheld pistols, then mounted guns
 Development of antiaircraft
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The End of the War
The Last Year
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1917: Allies seemed to be losing on the Western
Front and Russia had dropped out of the war.
March 1918, German commander Ludendorff
tried to break the stalemate on the Western
Front.
AMERICAN TROOPS ARRIVE IN 1918
 September 1918, Ludendorff says the war was lost.
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William II was forced to step down as ruler of
Germany. The new government led by German
Social Democratic Party declared that Germany
would become a democratic nation.
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Armistice signed in December of 1918
Starter 11/5
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7.
Using the World History Workbook and your notes,
answer the following questions.
What are the 4 MAIN causes of WWI?
What event served as the spark that caused the war to
begin?
Which country declared war first to begin World War I?
When did the US get involved in World War I?
Explain what life was like in the trenches.
The fighting on the Western Front was considered a
stalemate. Where is the Western Front?
What is a stalemate?
The War to End All Wars???
Making “Peace”
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January 1919, representatives from the Allied
nations met in Paris, France to finalize the peace
settlements—Paris Peace Conference.
The “Big Four” at the Conference
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Georges Clemenceau of France: France wanted strip
Germany of all weapons, require them to make
reparation payments, and create a “buffer zone”
between the two countries.
David Lloyd George, Prime Minister Great Britain:
British wanted Germany to pay for the entire war
Woodrow Wilson of the US: Wilson wanted to create a
lasting peace through a judicial body that would prevent
future wars (The League of Nations)
Vittorio Orlando of Italy
Treaty of Versailles
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Final peace settlement of WWI
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5 separate treaties signed with defeated nations (Germany,
Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey)
The treaty declared:
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Germany was responsible for starting war (war guilt clause)
Germans would have to pay $33 billion in reparations to the
Allies
Germany would return Alsace-Lorraine to France (other
portions of Germany would be given to Poland)
Broke up the Ottoman Empire creating new independent
nations
Issues with Treaty of Versailles
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Germany not present at the Peace Conference; they
accept the treaty because they have to
Russia did not benefit from the treaty (fear of
communism)
The US never joined the League of Nations (appears a
failure because the US president formed the plans for
the organization)
Treaty of Versailles End World War I — History.com
Video
Starter 11/6
The Interwar Period
The Red Scare
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After Russia became communist, they became
the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
in 1922.
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This was the first communist nation ever.
Many of the Western democracies feared that
communism would spread worldwide.
Thousands of suspected communists were arrested
 The KKK in the US targeted suspected communists
along with African Americans, Native Americans,
Asians, Catholics, and Jews.
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The “Roaring 20s”
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The Western democracies experiences some
kind of recovery and new prosperity during the
1920s.
The US flourished as people spent their money
freely on the new “easy credit” system.
Radio, movies, and spectator sports became
popular as people had more money to spend on
leisure time.
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The assembly line made production faster.
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Ford’s Model T became affordable for the average
American in the late 1920s
The Rise of Dictators
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Benito Mussolini of Italy came to power in 1922. As Prime
Minister and leader of the Fascist Party, Mussolini supported the
Catholic Church and gained support from mostly the middleclass industrialists and large land owners.
Joseph Stalin of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
came to power in 1929. As the General Secretary and a member
of the Communist Party, Stalin gained most of his support from
the Communist party officials.
Adolf Hitler of Germany came to power in 1933. As Chancellor
and leader of the Nazi Party, Hitler gained most of his support
from the industrial leaders, military, and appointed government
officials.
After World War I
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What were the results of the Paris Peace Conference
and the Treaty of Versailles?
The Great Depression began in Europe in 1924. A
depression is a period of low economic activity and
rising unemployment.
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The Great Depression officially hit the US in 1929 with the
Stock Market Crash (October 29, 1929/Black Tuesday)
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Franklin D. Roosevelt became president of the US in 1932 and
initiated his New Deal (active government and intervention)