European Empire Building Leads to WWI

SS6H6d. Explain the impact of empire building in Africa and Asia on the

outbreak of WWI

Propaganda Posters

• http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=wwI+propaganda&view=detail&id=F680FEC39E79FA41FBC1E897FD5F4E497CE7D32D&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR

Scramble for Africa1885-1910

• Great Britain, France, Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Netherlands – divided Africa among themselves

• Why – Natural resources

• Gold, diamonds, oil– Politics

• National pride (more colonies = more status)

– Worldview• Desire to “civilize“ and

Christianize Africa

Scramble for Asia

• Europe changed from Asia’s trading partner to Asia’s conqueror

• British took India

• French took Vietnam

On the rise in Europe:

• Nationalism: love of one’s country

• Militarism: using strong armies and threats of war

European countries signed treaties agreeing to help each other in case of attack.

Alliances

The Great War (WWI) 1914-1918

Causes:1. MAIN : Militarism,

Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism

2. Tensions over territory in the Balkans

3. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife by Gavrilo Princip, a Serb

WWI “The War to End All Wars”

Central Powers

• Austria-Hungary• Ottoman Empire

(Turkey + colonies)• Bulgaria• Germany• Plus all their colonies

Allied Powers• Russia• France• U.S.• U.K.• Plus all their

colonies

Events

1. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.2. Russia came to Serbia’s defense. 3. Germany backed its Germanic ally and went

to war against Russia & Serbia. 4. France & Britain then went to war against

the monarchies of Germany & Austria-Hungary.

THE U.S. TRIES TO STAY NEUTRAL

• Most Americans supported the ALLIES. • But - many German-Americans and Irish-

Americans were anti-British, supporting the CENTRAL powers.

• Britain’s navy stopped all shipping carrying weapons to Europe.

WORLD WAR I: U.S. NEUTRALITY

• Later, Britain stopped all trade with nations on the European continent.

• The US protested, but Britain remained careful in its relations with the U.S.

• Germany tried to break the British blockade by using the submarine, called U-BOAT.

Why the U.S. Entered the War• In May, 1915, Germany

sank the British liner LUSITANIA.

• 1198 died, including 128 Americans.

• As Wilson campaigned for re-election, he began a naval rearmament program.

U.S. Enters the War

• Germany sank all ships in the waters around Britain.

• This UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE made Wilson break off diplomatic relations with Germany.

• Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war, which he got on April 6, 1917.

THE U.S. FIGHTS TO VICTORY

• American DOUGH BOYS began fighting in Europe in 1918.

• 1918: Russia pulled out of the war after the Communists took power.

• In Belgium and France, TRENCH WARFARE led to stalemate.

• Germany first used POISON GAS in 1915, and Britain introduced the tank in 1916.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCduRtJQ7gE

War Ends• The turning point came in mid- 1918 in favor

of the Allies. • Germany signed an ARMISTICE at eleven

o'clock on the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, which ended the war (now called Veteran’s Day).

• The Allies won.• Germany was blamed for the war.