Causes of WW1Causes of WW1

The main playersThe main players

Kaiser Wilhelm II of GermanyKaiser Wilhelm II of Germany

Emperor Franz Joseph of AustriaEmperor Franz Joseph of Austria

Czar Nicholas II of RussiaCzar Nicholas II of Russia

King George V of Great BritainKing George V of Great Britain

King Victor Emmanuelle of ItalyKing Victor Emmanuelle of Italy

FranceFrance

Sultan Mehmed V of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed V of the Ottoman EmpireEmpire

SerbiaSerbia

Entangling System of AlliancesEntangling System of Alliances

Arms Race and MilitarismArms Race and Militarism

Naval race between Naval race between Germany and BritainGermany and Britain

Germany, France, Germany, France, Russia race to expand Russia race to expand their armiestheir armies

All the countries had All the countries had made plans for war, made plans for war, such as the German such as the German Von Schlieffen PlanVon Schlieffen Plan

War was seen as War was seen as inevitableinevitable

ImperialismImperialism

Countries wanted coloniesCountries wanted colonies Both for wealth and prestigeBoth for wealth and prestige

NationalismNationalism

Similar causes as imperialism: the country Similar causes as imperialism: the country wants more power and prestige, which wants more power and prestige, which would be boosted by military glory and would be boosted by military glory and victoryvictory

Very strong in the case of Serbia, Germany Very strong in the case of Serbia, Germany and Franceand France

Also, nationalism was pulling empires like Also, nationalism was pulling empires like Austria-Hungary, Russia, and the Ottoman Austria-Hungary, Russia, and the Ottoman empire apart, so they thought a war might empire apart, so they thought a war might save their empiressave their empires

Preservation of the old orderPreservation of the old order

Socialist and liberal movements gaining Socialist and liberal movements gaining power in most countriespower in most countries This posed a threat to the old order, especially This posed a threat to the old order, especially

in Russia, Austria-Hungary and Germany in Russia, Austria-Hungary and Germany because they did not have responsible because they did not have responsible governments yetgovernments yet

Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany had to rely Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany had to rely on socialists and liberals to pass an army on socialists and liberals to pass an army bill in 1913bill in 1913 In return, the socialists and liberals wanted a In return, the socialists and liberals wanted a

more responsible governmentmore responsible government The Kaiser had to find an external crisis to The Kaiser had to find an external crisis to

distract from the internal crisisdistract from the internal crisis