Lecture Notes:The Stage is Set for the Guns of August• By the early 1900’s, there were many

efforts at fostering peace in Europe and ending war.

– A. 1896 First modern Olympic Games in Athens

– B. Alfred Nobel: Set up the annual Nobel Peace Prize

Continued….– C. Women’s organizations promote

pacifism - the opposition to war

– D. Governments back peace efforts: 1899 first universal peace conference – set up the Hague Tribunal (World Court to settle disputes between nations)

• As much effort as there was at fostering peace, the seeds (causes) of WWI were planted in the years preceding 1914.

• They Included:

– A. Nationalism• Germany – Proud of military power & industrial

leadership• France – bitter about defeat in Franco-Prussian

war and German occupation of Alsace and Lorraine; wanted revenge

Continued…

• Russia – Supported pan-Slavism (the idea that all Slavic peoples share a common nationality) and Serbia

• Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire - threatened by rising nationalism in their empires

– B. Imperialism: Competition for colonies brings nations (example – France and Germany) to the brink of war

– C. Militarism and the arms race

• Due to the battle for colonies, nations adopted a policy of militarism

–Nations expand their armies and navies

–Increased suspicions and made war more likely

• Readiness for war dominates national policy in many countries and governments turn to military leaders.

– D. Alliances• Distrust led great powers to sign treaties

pledging to defend one another• The balance of power is upset when Otto

Von Bismarck creates the German Empire and this leads to a string of entangling alliances.

–Triple Alliance: Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary

–Triple Entente: Britain, France, and Russia

– Assassination in Sarajevo (capital of Bosnia; home of many Serbs)• Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary

announces a visit to Sarajevo on June 28, 1914–Serbians are outraged

»1. View Austrians as foreign oppressors»2. June 28 is an important date in Serbian

History

a. June 28, 1389 – Serbia conquered by

Ottoman Empire

b. June 28, 1912 – Serbia freed itself

Continued…–Members of the Black Hand (Serbian

terrorist group) vowed to take action

• Archduke Ferdinand and wife Sophie are assassinated by Gavrilo Princip

–Austria-Hungary is convinced that the Serbian government is behind the assassination

• Conflict spreads quickly

– Austria-Hungary sent Serbia an ultimatum-must end all anti-Austrian protest and punish any Serbian official involved in the assassination

• Serbia agrees to most of the demands

• July 28, Austria declares war on Serbia–1. Sets off a chain of alliances – Germany

backed Austria, Serbia sought help from Russia

• 2. Russia’s Czar Nicholas II asked the Austrian Emperor William II to soften his demands; Austria refuses; Russia mobilizes for war

• 3. Germany declares war on Russia• 4. Russia turns to France; Germany demands

France stay out; France refuses and Germany declares war on France

• 5. August 3, 1914: Germany invades (neutral) Belgium to get to France => outraged, Britain declares war on Germany!

In a flash, the whole continent was at war!!!!!