World War IChapter 12

Section 1: The Great War Begins

Essential Questions:1. Why was Europe on the brink of war in 1914?2. Why did war break out?3. What were the results of the fighting in 1914?

Using Geography to Set the StageEUROPEAN ALLIANCES AND MILITARY FORCES, 1914

1. What European nations were members of the Allied powers in 1914?

2. Which nations made up the central powers?

3. Given the alliances and size of the armed forces in Europe in 1914, what might happen if conflict broke out?

COMPARATIVE TROOP STRENGTHS

COUNTRIES TROOPS

GERMANY 1,900,00

AUSTRIA HUNGARY 450,000

UNITED KINGDOM 100,000

FRANCE 1,300,000

SERBIA 200,000

RUSSIA 1,400,000

EUROPE ON THE BRINK OF WAR

• MILITARISM• DURING THE LATE 1800’S AND

EARLY 1900’S EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAD BUILT UP THEIR MILITARIES• THIS WAS MOSTLY DONE SO THEY

COULD PROTECT THEIR OVERSEAS COLONIES IN PLACES LIKE AFRICA AND ASIA

• ALLIANCES• IN ORDER TO PROTECT EACH

OTHER FROM INCREASINGLY POWERFUL NEIGHBORS, COUNTRIES FORMED ALLIANCES OR PARTNERSHIPS

ALLIANCES

• TRIPLE ALLIANCE• GERMANY• AUSTRIA HUNGARY• ITALY

• TRIPLE ENTENTE• FRANCE• RUSSIA• GREAT BRITAIN

Imperialism

The desire to build empires created a rivalry between Germany, Russia, and Great Britain

NATIONALISM

• Nationalism is defined as “A strong devotion to one’s national group or culture”• In the BALKAN PENINSULA,

Serbian nationalism led to a desire to expand the territory of the independent nation of Serbia• Austria Hungary opposed Serbian

expansion, resulting in tensions between the two countries

FIGHTING BEGINS

• After the assassination of Ferdinand and the arrest of Princip, Austria Hungary decided to use the murder to punish Serbia.• Austria Hungary made a series of humiliating demands on Serbia, and

eventually declared war on July 28, 1914• Russia had made an alliance with Serbia, swearing protection• Germany had made an alliance with Austria Hungary• This led to Germany declaring war on Russia, and Russia’s OTHER ally,

France

Fighting Begins

• Germany faced a war on two fronts: Russia and France• Germans created the “Schleiffen

Plan”, which called for a quick defeat of France prior to wheeling around east to fight Russia• Germany attacked France by

going through neutral Belgium• This attack on a neutral nation led

Britain to declare war on Germany

WORLD WAR ONE BEGINS

CENTRAL POWERS• AUSTRIA HUNGARY• GERMANYALLIED POWERS

• GREAT BRITAIN• RUSSIA• FRANCE • SERBIA