Section 1World War I

Section 1World War I

Content Statement/Learning Goal

Explain how militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism

were causes of WWI. M.A.I.N.

Explain how advances in technology, communication and

transportation improved lives but also had negative

consequences.

Explain how and why oppression and discrimination resulted in

the Armenian Genocide during WWI.

Main Idea

Europe in 1914 was on the brink of war. After an assassination, the

nations of Europe were drawn one by one into what would be called the

Great War, or World War I.

The Great War Begins

Section 1World War I vocabulary

• Franz Ferdinand

• Neutral

• Central Powers

• Allied Powers

• Western Front

Section 1World War I vocabulary

• Franz Ferdinand: Heir to the throne of Austria-

Hungary whose assassination by a Serb nationalist

started WWI.

• Neutral: in a war, not aiding either side.

• Central Powers: the alliance between Germany,

Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire during

WWI. (Triple Alliance)

• Allied Powers: the alliance formed between Britain,

France, and Russia during WWI. (Triple Entente)

• Western Front: during WWI, the deadlocked region in

northern France where German and Allied armies

faced off.

Section 1World War I 1. Europe on the Brink of War

Rising tensions in Europe, 1914

• Tensions result of four factors

– Militarism

– Alliances

– Imperialism

– Nationalism

Section 1World War I CHART ON

PAGE 382

OF TEXT

BOOK

*Know

general

reasons

each factor

caused war.

Covered in

questions

# 3-6

Section 1World War I

• Nations formed partnerships to

protect against opposing forces

• Triple Alliance- Germany, Austria-

Hungary, Italy, Ottoman Empire.

• Triple Entente- Great Britain France,

Russia, Serbia

• Belief no nation would attack

another

Alliances

• 1880-1915- Massive military buildup

in Europe

• Wanted to protect overseas

colonies from other nations

• Large Military = Wars

• Minor disagreements had potential

to turn to armed conflict

• Especially Germany.

Militarism

1. Europe on the Brink of War

Section 1World War I

• Strong devotion to one’s

national group or culture

• Led to revolts and struggles for

power

• Most visible in Balkan

Peninsula, southeastern

Europe

• Home to many ethnic groups

trying to break free from

Ottoman Empire

Nationalism

• Nations wanted to build

empires

• Created rivalries

• Germany, France, Russia,

Great Britain vied to become

great imperial nations

• Each did not want others to

gain power

Imperialism

1. Europe on the Brink of War

Section 1World War I2. Spark that starts WWI/Nationalism

• -Bosnian city of Sarajevo

• -Austria had just taken over six years earlier and

Bosnians bitterly opposed Austrian rule.

• -Serbian leaders hoped to unite ethnic Serbs in

Bosnia, but now Austria-Hungary stood in the way.

• *Nationalism

• -visit fell on St. Vitus Day: holiday celebrating Serbian

unity. June 28,1914

• -Black Hand: Serbian terrorist group that plotted to kill

Franz Ferdinand. Wanted a “Greater Serbia”.

• -Gavrilo Princip assassinated Ferdinand and wife

Sophie. Happened by chance page 381.

• -SPARKS WORLD WAR I

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In the midst of the tensions with Serbia, archduke Ferdinand of

Austria-Hungary decided to visit the Bosnian city of Sarajevo.

• Serbian Gavrilo Princip

assassinated archduke & wife

• Austria-Hungary declared war

on Serbia

• Russia prepared to support

Serbia

• Austria-Hungary ally Germany

saw Russia as threat

• Germany declared war on

Russia and France

The Impact

• Germany faced war on two

fronts: Russia to east, France

to west

• Decided to strike France

quickly then move to Russia

• Began with quick strike into

neutral Belgium

• Attack on neutral country led

Great Britain to declare war

on Germany

Fighting Begins

2. War Breaks Out

Section 1World War I

Section 1World War I 3. Militarism

• 1880-1915- Massive military buildup in Europe

• Wanted to protect overseas colonies from other

nations RESULT OF IMPERIALISM

• Large Military = Wars

• Minor disagreements had potential to turn to

armed conflict

• Across Europe, the size of armed forces and

navies had risen sharply, particularly in

Germany

Section 1World War I

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Section 1World War I 4.Alliances

• Nations formed partnerships to protect against

opposing forces

• Triple Alliance- Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy (Italy

later joins Allies), Ottoman Empire

• Triple Entente- Great Britain, France, Russia,

Serbia(protected by Russia) Not main member.

• Not only nations involved. 40 different countries

involved in WWI.

• Leaders hoped that these alliances would keep the

peace; served as form of checks and balances.

• Belief no nation would attack another. Checks and

balances.

Section 1World War I 4.War Breaks Out

Main players in World War I in place

• Central Powers

– Germany

– Austria-Hungary

– Ottoman Empire

• Allied Powers

– Great Britain

– France

– Russia

– Serbia

– Italy (originally a part of Triple Alliance)

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Section 1World War IAllies Green/ Central Powers Orange

Section 1World War I 5.Imperialism

• Nations wanted to build empires

• Created rivalries

• Germany, France, Russia, Great Britain vied to

become great imperial nationsleads to

militarism

• Each did not want others to gain power

• Nations felt they could not stand idly by while

others gained power. NATIONALISM-OR

HYPER-PATIRIOTISM.

Section 1World War I6.Nationalism on Balkan Peninsula

• -formation of new countries including Germany and

Italy (10-1+10-2)

• -home to many ethnic groups, trying to break away

from Ottoman Empire, which was on the brink of

collapse.

• -Some of the strongest nationalist tensions in the

Balkans were in Serbia.

• -Serbia was an independent nation, however, many

Serbs in other nations wanted to expand Serbia’s

borders and create “Greater Serbia”

• -Austria-Hungary opposed Serbian expansion. They

took control of this area about six year ago.

Section 1World War I

Section 1World War I7.What did Austria-Hungary do to Serbia? How was Russia

involved?

• -Archduke of Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand, visits

Bosnian city of Sarajevo. June 28, 1914 he is

assassinated along with his wife by Serbian

nationalist.

• -Austria-Hungary used assassination as an excuse to

punish Serbia, after it is found a Serb committed

murders.

• -Austria-Hungary made a series of humiliating

demands on Serbia and declares war on Serbia on

July 28, 1914.

• -Russia saw itself as the defender of Slavic people

(Serbs in Serbia and throughout Europe).

Section 1World War I7.Why did Germany declare war on Russia?

• -As Russia prepared to fulfill this promise,

Germany (Austria-Hungary’s ally) declared war

on Russia and Russia’s ally France.

• -England eventually declares war on Russia

and Austria-Hungary as a result of their

commitment to France and due to the attack on

neutral Belgium.

• -Europe’s alliances turned the actions of a

single assassin into a major conflict.

Section 1World War I

Section 1World War IGermany’s plan

• Germany wanted to quickly defeat France, move east to fight Russia known

as Schlieffen Plan 2 front war

• Thought would be short conflict. Kaiser Wilhelm, “We will be home before the

leaves fall.”

• Germany moves through neutral Belgium which prompts Britain to enter the

war

• Great Britain’s declaration of war on Germany doomed its plan

• The Great War became bloody stalemate.

Russia enters fighting

• Russia attacked German territory from the east. Took Russia time to get army

there from east.

• Russians defeated in Battle of Tannenberg

• Germany distracted from France, Allies turned on German invaders

Early battles

• Battle of the Frontiers pitted German troops against both French and British

• Both sides suffered heavy losses

• Germany victorious

8.Fighting in 1914

Section 1World War I 9. Trench Warfare begins

Trench warfare begins

• Allied troops drove Germans back, Battle of the Marne,

September 1914

• Retreating Germans dug series of trenches along Aisne

River

– Waited in trenches for Allied attack

– Trenches elaborately constructed, cleverly concealed

• Allies dug trenches of their own

– Major battles for months with little change in positions

– Deadlocked region became known as Western Front

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