Causes of World War I

The World WarsMs. Hamer

September 7-8, 2011

What were the Causes of World War I?

• Militarism• Alliances• Imperialism• Nationalism

• Issues with the Balance of Power

Escalation

• The beginning of World War I is a case of escalation– so many factors built up that some of the countries felt that war was the only option.

• There is great debate over how much emphasis to place on each factor – decide that for yourself

The Great Powers

• Europe at this time was made up of:– a few countries that had a lot of power– other countries that did not– and some growing countries that wanted to

be a Great Power

Which countries do you think these were?

• In this system of control, if one country got too much power, the other Great Powers would band together to fight against it

Map of Europe - 1914

Great Britain• In the World:–World’s Largest Empire

• 20% of the world’s land

– Best Navy– Industrial and Commercial Power– Banking capital of the world

• In Europe:– “Splendid Isolation”: Since England was doing

so well, it tended to stay out of the affairs of continental Europe

• At Home:– 45 million people– Constitutional Monarchy

British Empire in 1900

France• In the World:• Empire – SE Asia and

Africa mostly• In Europe:– Was the ruling power in Europe

in the 1700’s– Lost a big war to Germany in

1870-1871 and was on the downward spiral since then• Lost Alsace and Lorraine in this war

• At Home: – 35 million people– Republic with very diverse

political parties– Was really worried about

Germany…

Russia• In the World:– Was having problems:

• 1905 – lost the Russo Japanese War• 1905 – Revolution that almost destroyed the government

• In Europe:– Idealism of Pan-Slavism: Russia wanted to help

other Slavic nations (like Serbia)– Not nearly as developed technologically or

politically as Western Europe

• At Home:– 164 million people

• Very diverse and not all happy to have had their country merged into Russia (like the Poles)

– Autocratic System ruled by Tsar Nicholas II

Germany• In the World:– Kaiser Wilhelm II took over in 1888 and he wanted

to win respect through an aggressive foreign policy

• In Europe:– Created in 1870-1871 through a war with France

• Unification was based around Prussian military principle

– Quickly became a Great Power and the strongest on the continent; strong economy too

• At Home:– 65 million people– Kind of a constitutional monarchy

• Reichstag – Parliament• Kaiser – King / Leader

– Politically split between the Marxist SPD (Social Democratic Party) and the Nationalist Leagues

Germany 1871-1918

Austria - Hungary• In Europe:– Old empire, lost a lot to the

newly forming Germany in 1866, then befriended it…

– A-H worried about the Balkans and worked to keep their control there and to keep Russian control out

• At Home:– Empire ruled by Emperor

Franz Josef– Major concerns: dissatisfied

ethnic groups, shaky empire, and lagging behind in industrial production

– Population: 53 million

Austria-Hungary 1910

Other Players(Not Great Powers)

Ottoman Empire

• In the World:–Was a MAJOR empire, but was on its last

legs by the 1900’s• Lost a lot of territory in the Balkans• No real industrial development• Was being preyed on by the European powers

• At Home:– 1908 – Young Turk movement came

about to revive the empire– Around 15 million people (estimated) –Would become Turkey

Ottoman Empire

1798-1923

Purple: Lost by 1886

Pink: Lost by 1914

Italy• In Europe:–Wanted to be a Great

Power, but had internal instability

– Had complaints against France (over colonial issues) and Austria-Hungary (over land A-H had taken)

• At Home:– Also a newly formed

country – 1860– 36 million people

Serbia• In Europe:– Had gained

independence from the Ottoman Empire

–Wanted to unite the Slavs under a Balkan league• This worried Austria-

Hungary

– Supported by Russia

• At Home:– Kingdom– 4.5 million

Japan• In the World:– Wanted to be an

imperialist power• Won the Sino-Japanese war

in 1895• Won the Russo-Japanese

war in 1904• Annexed Korea in 1910

(had liberated Korea from China in the 1895 war)

• At Home:– Newly industrialized

country under the Meiji Restoration of the last quarter of the 1800’s

– 52 million?

The United States of America

• In the World:– Had become imperialist in the late 1800’s– Did not really figure into European politics

because of the vast distance between them

• At Home:–Massive industrial production

• Produced more steel than either Britain or Germany by 1900

–No real military power, but it had potential in population (100 million) and industrial capacity

Life in Europe under the “Balance of Power”

The Balance of Power

• The Balance of Power began in 1648 in Europe– Theoretically kept harmony in Europe– If one power got too strong, the others

would unite against it

• Broke Down in 1854 with the beginning of the Crimean War–Much more competitive after this– “The German Question” – what would

the new Germany’s role be?

Nationalism

• Had been used as idea of liberation, was now used to legitimate governments of new nation-states (Germany, Italy…)

• Picked up the Social Darwinist ideas of ‘rising’ and ‘declining’ races of people

Imperialism• During all of this, European countries fought

for control of land overseas, by the 1800’s the focus was on Africa and Asia

• England and France were rivals• England and Russia distrusted each other in

Central Asia (England controlled India and somewhat controlled China)

• Germany did not participate in the rash of land-grabbing that happened in the mid-1800’s– Therefore Germany did not have as much as

everyone else– Germany would end up being very bitter about this

Militarism• The combination of imperialist competition

and instability in the balance of power led many European countries to expand their military, especially after Germany’s new aggressive foreign policy began in 1890

• France, Germany, and Russia built up their armies– European armies in general doubled in size

from 1890-1914

• Countries began to make extremely detailed plans for military operations in possible future wars

Popular Militarism in Germany

• The idea of war started to blend with nationalism: war was seen as a test of national identity and supremacy

• As militarism took hold in Germany, there were cultural changes:– Brutalization of the middle

classes as they imitated the Junker aristocracy

– Students prized dueling scars

Popular Militarism in Germany• Lots of respect shown to

military officers• Kaiser Wilhelm II was a

fan of uniforms, parades, and aggressive foreign policy

• Many supported this attitude, but not all Germans felt this way– Some felt that war was a

way out of a political crisis or stalemate

What problems could militarism cause?

Misconception of the Modern Nature of War

• Still though war was short, fast, and glorious– Also thought it would still be focused on

the offensive and cavalry

• Should have known better after the Crimean War (1850’s) and American Civil War (1860’s)

• Ideas about war becoming more civilized:– Geneva Conventions of 1864 and 1906– Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907• Protecting civilians and POW’s• No use of poison gas

What does this all Lead to?

• Expectation of and planning for the “next war” in Europe–War was glamorized in popularculture– Extensive military planning

The Cult of the Offensive

• Born out of this fervor for war was the Cult of the Offensive:– Emphasis on attack instead of defense– Leaders felt that their dedicated soldiers

were so nationalistic that they could beat a larger force

– Training focused on thebayonet drill and infantry

Alliances

• One of the most immediate causes of WWI was a complicated entanglement of alliances

• Try to keep up here…

Alliances with Germany• Germany wanted to be a power player in

Europe• 1873- Three Emperors’ League –

Bismarck wanted to join A-H, Germany, and Russia but he failed

• 1879 – Dual Alliance – A-H and Germany• 1882 – Triple Alliance when Italy joined• 1887 – Germany signed secret

Reinsurance Treaty with Russia, but this was a “Bismarck only” agreement and dissolved when he left in 1890

Alliances in Response to Germany

• Russia and France entered into a military alliance in 1894– Even though they fought each other in the

Crimean War (1853-1856)• England joining Germany would make

sense here, but Germany decided a new course of world policy in 1897 (Weltpolitik) that included construction of a large navy! (NO!!!)

• So England looked elsewhere for allies, like Japan (1902)

Germany is Scaring People

• England is pushed into settling issues with France in the 1904 Entente Cordiale

• This bond grows stronger after 1905 and 1911 when Germany is causing imperialist issues with Morocco

• 1907 England and Russia settle differences

French Entente Cordiale Postcard

The Dual Alliance System

• After 1907 it looked like this in Europe:

• Triple Alliance– Germany– Austria-Hungary– Italy

• Triple Entente– France– Russia– Great Britain

The Balkan Wars

Trouble in the Balkans

• Ottomans were losing power

• Independence movements were growing in Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania

• A-H and Russia got involved– A-H didn’t want their

own Southern Slavs to join the independence movement (especially in Serbia)

Purple: Ottoman Empire lost by 1886Pink: Ottoman Empire lost by 1914

The Balkan Wars (1912-1913)

• The First Balkan War (1912): Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Greece take territory from the Ottoman Empire

The Balkan Wars (1912-1913)

• The Second Balkan War (1913): Bulgaria attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, to get more land. Bulgaria lost land of its own instead – dark colors are

areas Bulgaria lost

Why Do the Balkan Wars Matter?

• Because some Serbians felt very passionately about Balkan independence, which was heightened by the Balkan Crises

• So passionately in fact that they wanted to stop A-H from preventing further independence…like in the regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Shot

The Black Hand

• Original group founded in 1909, would become The Black Hand in 1911

• Secret society committed to Pan-Slavism• Used terrorist methods• “Union or Death”• Many members were in the Serbian military

and military intelligence• Chose to assassinate the Archduke of

Austria Hungary, Franz Ferdinand– was next in line for the crown– was planning on reorganizing A-H and creating a

Slavic state within the Empire – this would weaken Serbia’s idea of Slavic independence

The Assassination

• On June 28, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated by Gavrillo Princip, an 18 year old student and member of the Black Hand

Assassination Blunders

• There were 7 assassins in Sarajevo (Bosnia) where Ferdinand and his wife were inspecting the military

• First 2 assassins failed to throw their bombs• The 3rd threw his bomb but it bounced off the

convertible roof cover and blew up under another car

• FF went to his next scheduled stop, but then changed his plans, going to the hospital to visit the wounded from the first bomb

• Princip was further along the first route but couldn’t act since FF’s motorcade sped by after the first bomb

• Princip went to a deli to get a sandwich, walked out, saw FF’s car backing up after making a wrong turn, ran up and shot FF and Sophie

How did this lead to WWI?• Previous assassinations had not led to

war, BUT this time:• A-H felt that this was an opportunity to

have a showdown with Serbia• Germany told their ally A-H that Germany

would support them against Serbia even if it meant war (on July 5)

• July 23, 1914 – A-H delivers a list of 10 ultimatums to Serbia that must be accepted within 48 hours– July 25, 1914 Serbia accepts all but the one

that would infringe on its sovereignty

How did this lead to WWI?

• July 28, 1914 A-H declares war on Serbia

• Russia calls for a full mobilization to support Serbia on July 30, 1914

• July 31, 1914 Germany sends Russia an ultimatum to stop mobilizing within 12 hours!

WWI Begins• July 28 Austria-Hungary declares war on

Serbia• August 1 Germany declares war on Russia• August 2 Germany informs Belgium that

Germany will be using Belgium to invade France

• England told Germany that if Belgian neutrality were violated, England would declare war

• August 3 Germany declares war on France• August 4 Germany invades Belgium with the

Schlieffen Plan• August 4 England declares war on Germany• Italy stays out of it

Alliance System in 1914

Looking Back

What were the Causes of World War I?

• Militarism• Alliances• Imperialism• Nationalism

• Issues with the Balance of Power