Causes of WW1

• M. • A. • N. • I. • A.

• C. • S.

Militarism

1. Building up armed forces getting ready for war

2. Glorification of the military

3. Increase in military spending

4. More input by military leaders in the government

Militarism

• Germany was competing with the UK to build battleships.

• The British feared an attack on their Empire

•Germany was competing with Russia and France to expand their armies

1880

1914Germany 1.3m 5.0mFrance 0.73m 4.0mRussia 0.40m 1.2m

Alliances

Agreements or promises to help or defend another country

Alliances

• By 1914 all the major powers were linked by a system of alliances.

• The alliances made it more likely that a war would start.

• Once started, the alliances made it more likely to spread.

Alliances

• Triple AllianceGermanyAustria-Hungary Italy

• Triple EntenteFranceRussiaGreat Britain

Nationalism

Extreme love and pride in your country

Desire of people with the same nationality to form their own nation-state

Desire for freedom from foreign rule

Nationalism

• This was an age when all nations wanted to assert their power and independence.

• In Europe Slavs, aided by Serbia and Russia, wanted to be free of Austrian rule.

Serbia’s national flag

Imperialism

One country’s domination of the political, economic, and social life

of another country

Imperialism

• All the great powers were competing for colonies / territory.

• The British feared Germany in Africa.

• The Austrians feared Serbia / Russia in the Balkans

Assassination

• 28 June 1914• Heir to Austrian

throne Franz Ferdinand Assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina by Serbian Nationalists

• Black Hand – Serbian Nationalist Group

Seal of the Black Hand group

Conflict in the Balkans

Large number of different religions and nationalities

Balkan Wars – struggle for control of the Peninsula

“Powder Keg of Europe”

Series of Diplomatic Failures

• Austrians, supported by Germany, send Serbia a tough ultimatum.

• Serbia agrees to all but two terms of the ultimatum.

• Russia mobilises her troops to support Serbia

• Germany demands that Russia stands her armies down.

• Germany declares war on Russia

“Demands must be put to Serbia that would be wholly impossible for them to accept …”

M.A.N.I.A.C.S

Wilhelm IIGermany Czar Nicholas

IIRussia

George ClemenceauFrance

Franz JosephAustria-Hungary

David Lloyd GeorgeGreat Britain

VS.

Causes of WW1

•M. Militarism

•A. Alliances

•N. Nationalism

•I. Imperialism

•A. Assassination

•C. Conflict in the Balkans

•S. Series of diplomatic failures

Video

• Causes of WWI