13.1 Marching Toward War

Ms. BielefeldFall 2011

M.A.I.N. Causes of WWI1) Militarism-- policy

of glorifying the military and keeping it prepared for war

European countries start an “arms race”

Wanted to have the most powerful military in the world.

2) Alliances—growing rivalries & mutual mistrust led to the creation of military alliances among the Great Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, and France)

3) Imperialism-- competition over colonies creates mistrust among European nations

4) Nationalism: deep devotion to one’s nation; lead to intense competition among Europe’s Great Powers for industrial dominance and power

Tangled AlliancesOtto von Bismark saw

France as Germany’s greatest rival

He wanted to isolate France

Triple Alliance—Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

Tangled Alliances Cont.1888 Kaiser Wilhelm II became

ruler of Germany1890 foreign policy changes

after Bismark was forced to resignAlliance with Russia dropped, so

Russia allies with FranceStrengthens German navy, which

alarms BritainTriple Entente—France, Britain,

Russia

Crisis In The Balkans

Crisis In The BalkansThe “powder keg” of EuropeMany groups in the Balkans

gain independence in the early 1900s

Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia & Herzegovina (1908)

Serbia outraged because they see themselves as the rightful ruler of these Slavic lands

Crisis In The Balkans Cont.1914—Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian

nationalist, shoots Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, Bosnia

Member of the “Black Hand,” a nationalist group

Austria declares war on Serbia; Russia comes to aid Serbia

Check for UnderstandingWho were the members of the Triple

Alliance?Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy

Who were the members of the Triple Entente?Britain, France, Russia

What single event set WWI in motion?Assassination of Archduke Franz

Ferdinand

Learning LogWhich event

(M.A.I.N.) do you consider most

significant? Why?