Chapter 12

1. Chapter 12 Section I The Great War Begins

2. Europe on the Brink of War • Tension on the rise due to 4 reasons • Militarism • Alliances • Imperialism • Nationalism

3. Europe on the Brink War • Militarism • European countries throughout the 19th century began building massive armies • Caused by the desire to protect overseas colonies from other countries • Germany was the leading nation in army growth

4. Europe on the Brink of War • Alliances • Formed with other nations to protect one another in the event war breaks out • Triple Alliance: United Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy • Triple Entente: formed by Russia and France • Fearful of Germany's growing power • Great Britain also joined the alliance • Belief is with alliances formed, no country would attack another

5. Europe on the Brink of War • Imperialism • Quest to build an empire during the 19th century created rivalries • Great Britain, France, Germany and Russia all viewed themselves as great imperial nations

6. Europe on the Brink of War • Nationalism • Strong devotion to one’s national group or culture • Led to the creation of new countries like Germany and Italy • Power struggle over the Balkan Peninsula • Peninsula ruled by the Ottoman Empire for 100’s of years

7. Europe on the Brink of the War • Balkan Peninsula • Very diverse in ethnicity • Serbia • Independent nation • Wanted to expand boarded to include more of the Serbian ethnicity within its boundaries • Majority of Serbs lived outside the boarders • Austria-Hungary was to the North and very powerful • Fearful of the Serbian expansion because other ethnicities would want to follow and revolt

9. War Breaks Out • The Impact • Princip arrested an discovered to be a Serb • Austria-Hungary made a series of humiliating demands on Serbia then declared war July 28th 1914 • Russia promised Serbia support if Austria-Hungary attacked • Germany declares war on Russia and Italy because of the Triple Alliance

10. War Breaks Out • Fighting Begins • Germany faced war on 2 fronts • Russia to the East; France to the West • Germany Schlieffan Plan • Defeat France quickly then head East to fight Russia • Plan would work because Russia has a massive army and will take time to organize • Germany attacked Belgium • Belgium a neutral country • Germany wants to use Belgium as a pawn • This attack provoked Great Britain to declare war on Germany

11. War Breaks Out World War I also known as The Great War divided into two powers • Central Powers • Germany • Austria-Hungary • Allied Powers • Great Britain • France • Russia • Serbia

12. Fighting in 1914 • Early Battles • Battle of the Frontiers • Began August 1914 • Germany vs. France and Great Britain • France struggled against Germany • Russia attacked Germany from East • Battle of Tannerberg • Germany destroyed the Russian Invasion • Lifted the pressure off France • Russia’s invasion allowed the Allied Powers to regroup

13. Fighting in 1914 • Trench Warfare Begins • Battle of the Marine • September 1914 • Allied Troops succeeded in driving German forces back • Germany retreated and dug a series of trenches along the Aisne River • Allied forces also began digging trenches • Led to a standstill for following months • Deadlock region of North France became known as the Western Front