The Causes of WWI

• Militarism

• Alliances

• Imperialism

• Nationalism

• Significant individuals

Militarism

• Germany was competing with the UK to build battleships.

• The British feared an attack on their Empire

Militarism

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

18801914

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

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.

Imperialism

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

• The British feared Germany in Africa.

• The Austrians feared Serbia / Russia in the Balkans

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

Significant Individuals - #1

• Kaiser Wilhelm II • Built up German army

and navy• Aggressive foreign policy• Determined to make

Germany a top nation.• Distrusted by other

powers

“Germany must have its place in the sun”

“The world belongs to the strong.”

Significant Individuals - #2

• Count Berchtold• Austrian Prime

Minister.• During the July

Crisis, decided on a very tough ultimatum for Serbia

“Were the Serbs to agree to all the

demands, this would not be to my liking”

Significant Individuals - #3

• Bethmann Hollweg• German Prime

Minister• Gave very strong

support to Austria during the July crisis while Kaiser was cruising on his yacht

“The Austrian demands are moderate. Any interference

by Britain, France and Russia would be followed by

incalculable consequences”

The Crisis

• 28 June 1914• Heir to Austrian

throne Franz Ferdinand visits Sarajevo.

• Capital of Bosnia, recently grabbed by Austria.

• Hotbed of Slav nationalism

Seal of the Black Hand group

The Crisis

• “Black Hand” terrorists attack the Arch Duke

• Bomb attempt fails in morning

• Gavrilo Princip shoots Archduke and wife in the afternoon.

• Austrians blame Serbia for supporting terrorists.

The Crisis

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

• Serbia agrees to all but one of the ultimatums.

• 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 …”

The Austro-Hungarian Ultimatum

The Austro-Hungarian ultimatum demanded from the Serbian state to formally and publicly condemn the "dangerous propaganda" against Austria-Hungary. Moreover, the Serbian government should:

•Suppress all publications which "incite hatred and contempt of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy" and are "directed against its territorial integrity".•Dissolve the Serbian nationalist organization “Narodna Odbrana" ("The People's Defense") and all other such societies in Serbia.•Eliminate without delay from schoolbooks and public documents all "propaganda against Austria-Hungary".•Remove from the Serbian military and civil administration all officers and functionaries whose names the Austro-Hungarian Government will provide.•Accept in Serbia "representatives of the Austro-Hungarian Government" for the "suppression of subversive movements".•Bring to trial all accessories to the Archduke's assassination and allow "Austro-Hungarian delegates" (law enforcement officers) to take part in the investigations.•Arrest Major Voja Tankosic and civil servant Milan Ciganovic who were named as participants in the assassination plot.•Cease the cooperation of the Serbian authorities in the "traffic in arms and explosives across the frontier"; dismiss and punish the officials of the at Shabatz Loznica frontier service, "guilty of having assisted the perpetrators of the Sarajevo crime".•Provide "explanations" to the Austro-Hungarian Government regarding "Serbian officials" who have expressed themselves in interviews "in terms of hostility to the Austro-Hungarian Government".•Notify the Austro-Hungarian Government "without delay" of the execution of the measures comprised in the ultimatum.

“Europe is trembling on the verge of a general war. The Austrian ultimatum to Serbia being the most insolent document of its kind ever devised,” – Winston Chruchill

Why did Britain get involved?

• Britain had Ententes with France and Russia.

• Only “friendly agreements” but French and Russians given impression Britain would fight.

• The Schlieffen Plan

Sir Edward GreyBritish Foreign Secretary … “There’s some devilry

going on in Berlin”

The Schlieffen Plan

• Germany’s military plan to defeat France and Russia.

• “Knock out blow” aimed at France first.

• Avoid French defences by invasion of Belgium.

• Germans thought Britain would not intervene.

Britain’s Reaction

• 1838- UK had signed a Treaty to protect Belgium.

• Britain also scared of Germany controlling Channel ports.

• Did not want Germany to defeat France and dominate Europe.

• UK issued ultimatum to Germany to withdraw troops from Belgium. War declared August 4 1914

What about Canada?

• When Britain declared war, all members of it’s Empire, were automatically involved.

• Prime Minister Robert Borden promised to contribute as much as possible to the war effort