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World War I. The Great War. Historical Causes . Nationalism Imperialism Militarism Formation of Alliances- using alliances to keep a balance of power. Nationalism.
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World War I The Great War
Historical Causes • Nationalism • Imperialism • Militarism • Formation of Alliances- using alliances to keep a balance of power.
Nationalism • Nationalism- loyalty and devotion to a nation; especially: a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups
Militarism • The tendency to see military might as the most important and best tool for the expansion of a nation’s power and prestige. • Is the military the only way to judge whether a nation is successful or not? • Conscription- standard military draft.
Imperialism • the policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and domain of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas. • Are we still imperialistic?
Nation States • The nation states that emerged in Europe at the end of the1800s led to competition instead of cooperation. • Countries were competing for trade routes, colonies, and overall power. • This pushes the idea of nationalism and imperialism.
Serbia • Serbia was determined to create a large, independent Slavic state in the Balkans. • Austria-Hungary wanted to prevent this from happening and has lots of hatred for Serbia. • Many Europeans saw the danger in this situation and thought war would eventually break out.
Alliances • Two great camps. Central Powers= Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Italy. Allies= Great Britain, France, and Russia.
The Assassination • Archduke Franz Ferdinand heir to the Austrian throne visited the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo. • duke arrival video • He was shot by Serbian nationalist, in response Austria-Hungary declared what was expected to be a short war against Serbia. • The alliance system pulled one nation after another into the conflict.
Alliances obligated • Russia, bound by treaty to Serbia, mobilized its army to defend Serbia. • Germany, allied to Austria-Hungary by treaty, Germany viewed the Russian mobilization as an act of war against Austria-Hungary and declared war on Russia on 1 August. • France, bound by treaty to Russia, found itself at war against Germany and, by extension, on Austria-Hungary following a German declaration on 3 August. • Britain, allied to France through a treaty declared war against Germany on 4 August. .
Fighting begins • August 3, 1914 Germany invaded Belgium in a plan known as the Schlieffen Plan. • This would give them easy access to Paris so France would fall quickly. After France fell Germany could focus all its military on defeating Russia in the east.
The Allies retreated to the Marne River in France and is where they halted the German advance. Trench warfare begins!!
Meanwhile in America • President Wilson issued a proclamation of neutrality. • He urged citizens to be “neutral in thought as well as in action.” • This was hard because America was a nation made up of immigrants.
America takes sides • Strong support for the central powers could be found among the 8 million German Americans and 4 million Irish Americans. • Many Americans were pro Allies though because of cultural and language bonds to Great Britain and of the tradition of French friendship in the United States.
Propaganda • Both sides bombard the United States with propaganda looking for American support. • Atrocity stories of Germans looting, raping, and killing innocent civilians was circulated in the Press. These were exaggerated but did have some credibility.
German propaganda • The Germans blamed the war on Russian expansionism and Frances long hate of Germany. • As a whole, it highlighted the terrible human costs of the war and strengthened the idea that America should stay out of it.
