Causes of WWI Causes of WWI MAIN Militarism

Causes of WWI

Causes of WWI - MAIN • Militarism • Alliances • Imperialism • Nationalism

Militarism • When a nation’s armed forces come to dominate a country’s national policy • It is also a glorification of the military and war itself 1910 -1914 Increase in Defense Expenditures France 10% Britain 13% Russia 39% Germany 73%

Alliances • Signed treaties in which each nation involved pledges to defend the other if attacked by an aggressor • Basically, countries agreed to help each other

Alliances Triple Entente: Triple Alliance: Great Britain Germany France Russia Austria-Hungary Italy

Imperialism • Domination by one country over the political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region • Due to the Industrial Revolution of the 1800 s, some European nations had a large portion of the world under their control

Imperialism and Colonial Rivalries • After 1870, the European nations began to acquire colonies in Asia, Africa and the Pacific • Colonial rivalry led to: – strained relations among the European powers. In Africa, all the European powers except Austria and Russia had colonies there. Thus there were many clashes among France, Britain, Germany and Italy. – the formation and strengthening of alliances and ententes. (indirectly) – an intensification of the arms race. – much hostility among the powers.

The “Spark” • The “spark” that started WWI • On June 28, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austria Hungarian Throne was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist who believed that Bosnia should belong to Serbia

Archduke Franz Ferdinand Duchess Sophie at Sarajevo, Bosnia, on June 28, 1914

• Gavrilo Princip after his assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand

The Point of No Return • Austria blamed Serbia for Ferdinand’s death and declared war on Serbia. • Germany pledged their support for Austria -Hungary. • Russia pledged their support for Serbia.

• Germany declares war on Russia • France pledges their support for Russia • Germany declares war on France • Germany invades Belgium on the way to France • Great Britain supports Belgium and declares war on Germany

Allied Powers: Central Powers: Germany Great Britain Austria-Hungary France World War I Russia Ottoman Empire Italy