Transcript Causes of WWI-1 - Farmington High School

WORLD WAR 1
CAUSES, PRACTICES & EFFECTS
OF WAR
The World before World War I
The War was also known as THE GREAT WAR and
famously “THE WAR TO END ALL WARS”
It was a global military conflict that took place
mainly in Europe between 1914 & 1918.
It was a total war which left great devastation,
millions dead and shaped the modern world.
World War I created a decisive break with the old
world order that had emerged after the
Napoleonic Wars. The results of World War I
would be important factors in the development
of World War II; 21 years later.
Long-term Causes: Why did the war break out?
Napoleon
Bonaparte and
the Rise of
Nationalist
Sentiment
Colonial
Expansion
Anglo-German
Naval Race
Tension in the
Balkans
Ascension of
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Web of alliances
MAIN CAUSES OF WWI
Militarism
Alliances
Imperialism
Nationalism
***These
background
causes were
building for 30-40
years before the
actual outbreak of
WWI.
Cause #1: Militarism
Militarism: building up armed forces in preparation for war
Characteristics:
Army and military forces are given a high profile by the government
Increased military spending and production
Implementation of the draft
Led to an arms race
The armies of both France and
Germany had more than doubled
between 1870 and 1914 and there
was fierce competition between
Britain and Germany for mastery
of the seas.
The British had introduced the
'Dreadnought', an effective
battleship, in 1906. The Germans
soon followed suit introducing
their own battleships.
MILITARISM
European Military Spending
Year
1870
1880
1890
1900
1910
1914
Millions of $
94
130
154
268
289
398
Arms races
The naval arms race that developed between
Britain and Germany was intensified by the 1906
launch of HMS Dreadnought, a revolutionary
warship that rendered all previous battleships
obsolete. Davis Stephoson described the
armaments race as "a self-reinforcing cycle of
heightened military preparedness", while other
Historians, viewed the shipbuilding rivalry as part
of a general movement towards war. However,
Niall Fergueson argues that Britain’s ability to
maintain an overall advantage signifies that
change within this realm was insignificant and
therefore not a factor in the movement towards
war.
Britain
maintained a
large lead over
Germany in all
categories of
warships.
Both nations
believed that
command of the
seas was vital to
a great nation.
The naval strength of the powers in 1914
Country
Soldiers
Large
Naval Vessels
Tonnage
Size/Carrying
Capacity
Russia
54,000
4
328,000
France
68,000
10
731,000
Britain
209,000
29
2,205,000
331,000
43
3,264,000
Germany
79,000
17
1,019,000
Austria-Hungary
16,000
3
95,000
20
TOTAL
TOTAL
249,000
1,268,000
Cause #2: Alliances
An alliance is an
agreement made
between two or more
countries to give each
other help if needed.
A number of alliances
had been signed by
countries between the
years 1879 and 1914.
These alliances meant
that some countries
had no option but to
declare war if one of
their allies declared
war first
Formation of the WWI Alliances
In 1879 Germany and Austria- Hungary agreed to form a Dual
Alliance.
This became the Triple Alliance when in 1882 it was expanded to
include Italy. The three countries agreed to support each other if
attacked by either France or Russia. It was renewed at five-yearly
intervals.
France felt threatened by this alliance. Britain was also concerned by
the growth in the Germany Navy and in 1904 the two countries
signed the Entente Cordiale (friendly understanding). The objective
of the alliance was to encourage co-operation against the perceived
threat of Germany.
Three years later, Russia who also feared the growth in the German
Army, joined Britain & France to form the Triple Entente.
The Russian government was also concerned about the possibility of
Austria Hungary increasing the size of its empire. It therefore made
promises to help Serbia if it was attacked by members of the Triple
Alliance
The formation of the Triple Entente in 1907 by Britain, France and
Russia reinforced the need for the Triple alliance.
Cause #3 - Imperialism
Due to industrialization,
countries needed new markets
& resources  Imperialism!
Imperialism: establishing
political, economic and military
dominance over weaker
nations
By 1900 the British Empire
extended over five continents
and France had control of
large areas of Africa.
The amount of lands 'owned'
by Britain and France
increased the rivalry with
Germany who had entered the
“land grab” late and only had
small areas of Africa.
Imperialist rivalries formed as countries
competed and fought over new
territories and resources
The great powers had come into
conflict over spheres of influence in Asia
(Open Door Policy – China & Japan) and
over territories in Africa (Moroccan
Crisis)
Germany embarked late, but
aggressively, on colonial expansion
under Emperor William II
Moroccan Crisis: 1905
In 1904 Morocco had been given
to France by Britain, but the
Moroccans wanted their
independence. In 1905,
Germany announced her
support for Moroccan
independence. War was
narrowly avoided by a
conference which allowed
France to retain possession of
Morocco. However, in 1911,
the Germans were again
protesting against French
possession of Morocco.
Britain supported France and
Germany was persuaded to
back down for part of French
Congo.
Cause #4: Nationalism
The French Revolution resulted in chaos and the ascent of
Napoleon to power. Napoleon's armies marched all over
Europe, bringing not only French control, but French ideas.
The rise of ideas of nationalism, devotion and pride for
one's common people and ethnicity, increased in
popularity during the Napoleonic Wars.
Napoleon encouraged the spread of nationalism, which he
saw in his troops, to better the French war machine.
The French people began to feel pride in their culture and
ethnicity. The world watched nationalism for the first time
and saw the power the French gained from it.
Following the Napoleonic Wars, all of Europe was sharing
these ideas
Serbian Nationalism
Nationalism means being a strong supporter of the
rights and interests of one's country. The Congress
of Vienna, held after Napoleon's exile, aimed to sort
out growing problems in Europe.
Delegates from Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia
(winners in Napoleonic Wars) decided upon a new
Europe that left both Germany and Italy as divided
states.
Strong nationalist elements led to the Reunification of Italy in 1861 and Germany in 1871.
Large areas of both Austria-Hungary and Serbia
were home to differing nationalist groups, all of
whom wanted freedom from the states in which
they lived.
Europe in 1914
 By 1914 Europe was divided in a
power-struggle for the top place in the
world economic market.
 At the start of the Great War in 1914,
Germany was a relatively young
power, only coming into existence
following a series of wars in 1871.
Germany's Chancellor, Otto von
Bismarck, aimed to maintain peaceful
ties with Russia.
 When Kaiser Wilhelm II came to
power, he quickly retired Bismarck,
and upset the Chancellor's delicate
balance of power by refusing to renew
Germany's friendship with Russia.
 Germany soon found itself as a
minority. Its only European ally was
the weakest of the European powers,
Austria-Hungary.
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Last German Emperor (Kaiser)
and King of Prussia, ruling the
German Empire from 15 June
1888 to 9 November 1918.
He was a grandson of the
British Queen Victoria and
related to many monarchs and
princes of Europe.
Launched Germany on a "New
Course" in foreign affairs that
culminated in his support for
Austria-Hungary in 1914.
Bosnian Crisis: 1908
In 1908, Austria-Hungary took over the former Turkish province of Bosnia.
This angered Serbians who felt the province should be theirs. Serbia
threatened Austria-Hungary with war, Russia, allied to Serbia, mobilized
its forces. Germany, allied to Austria-Hungary mobilized its forces and
prepared to threaten Russia.
War was avoided when Russia backed down.
There was, however, war in
the Balkans between 1911
and 1912 when the Balkan
states drove Turkey out of
the area. The states then
fought each other over
which area should belong to
which state.
Austria-Hungary then
intervened and forced
Serbia to give up some of its
acquisitions.
Tension between Serbia and
Austria-Hungary was high.
Discussion
In your opinion, which of the four
background causes (militarism,
alliances, imperialism, nationalism) was
the biggest cause of WWI? Explain!
The Black Hand
In May 1911, ten men in Serbia
formed the Black Hand Secret
Society.
Early members included Colonel
Dragutin Dimitrijevic, the chief of
the Intelligence Department of the
Serbian General Staff.
The main objective of the Black
Hand was the creation, by means
of violence, of a Greater Serbia. Its
stated aim was: "To realize the
national ideal, the unification of all
Serbs. This organization prefers
terrorist action to cultural
activities; it will therefore remain
secret."
The Black Hand
By 1914 there were around 2,500
members of the Black Hand. The
group was mainly made up of
junior army officers but also
included lawyers, journalists and
university professors.
Three senior members of the
Black Hand group, Dragutin
Dimitrijevic, Milan Ciganovic, and
Major Voja Tankosic, decided that
Archduke Franz Ferdinand should
be assassinated.
The political objective of the
assassination was to break off
Austria-Hungary's south-Slav
provinces so they could be
combined into a Greater Serbia or
a Yugoslavia.
The People chosen for the task
Gavrilo Princip, Nedjelko
Cabrinovic and Trifko
Grabez from Serbia made
plans to assassinate him.
Assassination at Sarajevo
On 28 June 1914, the Archduke FranzFerdinand and his wife visited Sarajevo,
the capital of Bosnia, to review the
troops.
It was a sunny Sunday morning. It was
the Archduke's wedding
anniversary. But the Archduke could
not have chosen a worse day to go to
Sarajevo.
It was also Serbia's National Day - the
anniversary of the battle, in 1389,
when Serbia had been conquered by
the Turkish Ottoman Empire, yet at
which a Serb hero, Milos Obilic, had
assassinated the Ottoman Sultan. This
day was inextricably linked with Serbian
nationalism, and with the assassination
of foreign rulers.
Waiting for Franz Ferdinand, lined up
along the Appel Quay, Sarajevo's main
road, were six young men. They were
armed with pistols and bombs supplied
by the Black Hand. They were going to
try to murder Franz Ferdinand
Austrian spies in Serbia had reported that there was
going to be an assassination attempt. Paniced, the
Prime Minister of Serbia, had also told the Austrian
government that there was going to be trouble.
Franz Ferdinand ignored these warnings. Only 120
policeman were on duty in Sarajevo, and they were
so excited that they forgot to watch the crowds, and
looked at the procession instead.
Franz Ferdinand was disguised in the uniform of an
Austrian cavalry general.
To reach the Town Hall the procession had to drive
along the Appel Quay. The six conspirators had
posted themselves along the route; the Appel Quay
was `a regular avenue of assassins.'
At 10.10 am, as the procession drew near the
Cumuria Bridge.
Near the Cumuria bridge:
1st Mehmed Mehmedbasic: told a friend that he could not get a clear
opportunity and that a policeman had approached him just as he was to
throw the bomb.
2nd Vaso Cubrilovic: told investigation that felt sorry for the Duchess;
said that he was badly placed.
3rd Nedeljko Cabrinovic: threw a bomb. Wearing a long black coat and
a black hat, he asked a policeman to tell him which car the Archduke was
in; seconds later he had knocked the cap off a hand grenade against a
metal lamp-post and aimed it at the Archduke seated in the open
car. Franz Ferdinand later claimed that he had knocked away the bomb
with his hand; witnesses at the trial, however, all agreed that the bomb
had bounced off the folded-back hood of the Archduke's car. It blew up
the car behind, killing two officers and injuring about twenty
people. Cabrinovic swallowed poison, but it failed to work. After
stopping to see what had happened, Franz Ferdinand's car sped to the
Town Hall.
4th (landward side) Cvetko Popovic: told a friend that could not see
which was Franz Ferdinand because he was short-sighted; told the trial
the lost his nerve.
In order to avoid the city centre, the royal car traveled straight along the
Appel Quay and took a right turn into Franz Joseph Street.
One of the conspirators, Gavrilo Princip, was standing on the corner at
the time. Oskar Potiorek immediately realised the driver had taken the
wrong route and shouted "What is this? This is the wrong way! We're
supposed to take the Appel Quay!".
The driver put his foot on the brake, and began to back up. In doing so
he moved slowly past the waiting Gavrilo Princip.
The assassin stepped forward, drew his gun, and at a distance of about
five feet, fired several times into the car. Franz Ferdinand was hit in
the neck and Sophie von Chotkovato in the abdomen.
Princip's bullet had pierced the archduke's jugular vein but before
losing consciousness, he pleaded "Sophie dear! Sophie dear! Don't die!
Stay alive for our children!“
Franz Urban drove the royal couple to Konak, the governor's residence,
but although both were still alive when they arrived, they died from
their wounds soon afterwards.
Princip Bridge: sight of Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination
Nedjelko Cabrinovic, statement in court (23rd October, 1914)
We did not hate Austria, but the Austrians had done nothing, since the
occupation, to solve the problems that faced Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Nine-tenths of our people are farmers who suffer, who live in misery,
who have no schools, who are deprived of any culture.
We sympathized with them in their distress. We thought that only
people of noble character were capable of committing political
assassinations. We heard it said that he (Archduke Franz Ferdinand) was
an enemy of the Slavs. Nobody directly told us "kill him"; but in this
environment, we arrived at the idea ourselves.
I would like to add something else. Although Princip is playing the hero,
and although we all wanted to appear as heroes, we still have profound
regrets. In the first place, we did not know that they late Franz
Ferdinand was a father. We were greatly touched by the words he
addressed to his wife: "Sophie, stay alive for our children." We are
anything you want, except criminals.
In my name and in the name of my comrades, I ask the children of the
late successor to the throne to forgive us. As for you, punish us
according to your understanding. We are not criminals. We are honest
people, animated by noble sentiments; we are idealists; we wanted to
do good; we have loved our people; and we shall die for our ideals.
Which countries were bound to each other by which
alliance?
How did imperialism contribute towards Germany’s
increasing anger with Britain and France?
Why was nationalism an important factor?
Describe the part played by Germany in increasing
European militarism.
What links were there between the two crises and:
Alliances
Imperialism
Militarism
Nationalism