World War I

1. World War I Chapter 27-1

2. World War I Causes • Rival Alliances • The Anglo-German Arms Race • Imperialism • The Balkan Peninsula was a Powder Keg • Direct Cause: The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip

3. Rival Alliances • Triple Alliance v Triple Entente • Bismarck had negotiated treaties to isolate France after the Franco-Prussian War because France wanted revenge • Bismarck had reason to fear Russia after Russia’s disappointment at the Congress of Berlin (when Russia defeated the Turks and got nothing)

4. Dual Alliance: Germany and Austria • Bismarck wanted to stop Russian expansion • Dual Alliance with Austria was based on Germany’s support for Austria’s expansion in the Balkans

5. Triple Alliance 1881 • Italy joined Germany and Austria • Italy wanted support for its ambitions in the Mediterranean and Africa

6. Russian-German Reinsurance Treaty 1887 • Agreement between Russia and Germany of neutrality if either one went to war with another country (had been arranged by Bismarck) • Russia wanted to renew it • Kaiser Wilhelm II refused to renew it after Bismarck ousted • Wilhelm wanted closer ties to Austria

7. Kaiser Wilhelm Blundered • France (formerly isolated) courted Russia and the two became allies • After 1891 England was the only non-aligned power “splendid isolation” • 1902 Anglo-Japanese Alliance: Japan agreed to neutrality if Russia became a threat to India

8. 1904 Entente Cordial • In the face of the Anglo-German naval arms race Britain and France settled outstanding disputes in Africa • France accepted British in Sudan • Brits recognized French dominion in Morocco

9. 1907 Triple Entente • Britain, France, Russia • A response to the Triple Alliance • Not formal; just principle

10. The Anglo-German Arms Race • Militarism led to the belief that war was inevitable • Germany outpaced England in the Industrial Revolution • Bertha von Suttner wrote Lay Down Your Arms • Inspired peace movements in Austria and Germany • First woman to win Nobel Peace Prize

11. The Arms Race • British policy: Its fleet had to be larger than any two combined of rival nations • 1898 Kaiser Wilhelm II began expanding the German navy • Admiral Alfred von Tripitz led the naval buildup • Haldane Commission 1912: British tried to end the arms race with Germany. Unsuccessfully • By WWI both had Dreadnoughts: Super battleships with awesome firing range

12. Imperialism • Germany and others aggressive in acquiring colonies • Kruger Telegram triggered British anger • Algeciras Conference 1906 settled the first Moroccan Crisis: • The Kaiser had urged Moroccan independence in spite of France having claimed it • Britain and Italy supported France

13. Imperialism • Britain, France, Germany and the U.S. believed Germany was out to dominate all of Europe • Germany became isolated (except for Austria) • Germany charged others with “encirclement” to block Germany’s emergence as a world power • The Triple Entente was created in response

14. Second Moroccan Crisis 1911 • German gunboat was sent to Morocco to protest French occupation of the city of Fez • Again, Britain supported France • Germany backed down

15. Nationalism in the Balkans • The Eastern Question: The Ottoman Empire declined causing a power vacuum in the Balkans • Russia focused on the Balkans after its defeat to the Japanese • Promoted Pan-Slavism (at the expense of the Ottomans and the Austro-Hungarian empires)

16. The First Balkan Crisis (Bosnian Crisis) • The Young Turks led by Ataturk (Mustafa Kemal Pasha) set up a parliamentary government in the Ottoman Empire • Progressive and modern but seemed weak • 1911-1912 Italy took the Turkish province of Libya…showed how weak the Ottomans were

17. 1908 Austria annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina • Russia failed to gain access • Serbia frustrated • Austria’s action violated the Congress of Berlin • Russia wasn’t ready to fight so war was averted

18. The First Balkan War 1912 • Serbia, Greece, and Bulgaria allied to successfully drive the Turks out of the Balkans • Fighting lasted less than 1 month • Most Balkan territory now divided among the Balkan states • Serbia wanted port access to the Adriatic but was blocked by Austria’s creation of Albania

19. Second Balkan War 1913 • Bulgaria angry at Serbia and Greece • They got more territory in 1st Balkan War than Bulgaria did • Serbia defeated Bulgaria and temporarily gained Albania • Russia backed Serbia • BUT Austria, aided by Germany, took Albania back…Russia humiliated by lack of action

20. Third Balkan War • Between Austria and Serbia led to WWI

21. Direct Cause of WWI • June 28, 1914 Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand (heir to the Austrian throne) was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist (and member of the Black Hand) Gavrilo Princip while Franz Ferdinand was touring Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina

22. WWI • Kaiser Wilhelm II pledged Austria total support in punishing Serbia • Called “the blank check” • Austria made harsh demands on Serbia • Serbia agreed to most but became too much

23. Austria declared war on Serbia • Austria began bombarding Belgrade • Russia mobilized in defense of Serbia • France mobilized on Germany’s western border • Germany declared war on France • Germany marched through neutral Belgium on its way to France • England declared war on Germany