The Causes of World War I

World War I was caused by a bunch of MANIACS!!!4 Major Causes & 3 events leading to the War

Cause #1: Militarism

• European countries built up massive militaries from 1900-1914• All boys 18+ required to serve• Huge sums of $$$ spent on weapons• Naval arms race b/w Britain and Germany

Cause #2: Alliances

Central Alliance

• Germany• Austria-Hungary• Italy

Triple Entente

• France• Russia• Great Britain

• Alliances were required to protect each other

Cause #3: Nationalism

• Every nation wanted to prove they were the best• France wanted to restore their lost honor from

Franco-Prussian War• Smaller nationalities wanted their own country• Austria-Hungary

Different Language Groups in Europe

Cause #4: Imperialism• European competition for colonies created bad blood in

Europe

EVENTS THAT LEAD TO WAR

Event#1: Alliances caused diplomatic failure• Alliances did not cause peace• Alliances made European countries more willing

to be aggressive towards others• Refused to sit down and work out problems

Event #2: Competition over Colonies• Moroccan Crisis (1905 & 1911)• Germany challenges France’s power in Africa• France moves closer to Britain

Event #3: Serbian Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

THE BALKANS

Event #3: Serbian Assassination of Franz Ferdinand• Franz Ferdinand: Heir to Austro-Hungarian throne• Assassinated by a Serbian terrorist on June 28, 1914• Starts WWI

Arrest of Gavrillo Princip