The Background to World War I

“To genetic evolution, the human lineage has added the parallel track of cultural evolution.”

-Edward Wilson

1800-1870: Britain as the superior industrial and colonial power

1870-1914: Germany and the US as the superior industrial powers

Definition for Kaiser:The monarch who appoints the ChancellorHe is not elected, but inherits his office and claims it as his divine right.He is not responsible to the people.

Definition for the Chancellor:Appoints members of the cabinet such as Minister of the Interior,Minister of Education, etc. Cabinet Ministers are responsible to the kaiser only and not the people.Otto von Bismarck ruled as Chancellor from 1862-1890.

Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71Germany took the territories of Alsace-Lorraine

Between 1911-1913, the German army grew from 515,000 members to 866,000 members.

From: The Geography of the Great War, Frank McMurray, PhD

Definition for militarism:

From 1888 onwards, Germany began the Baghdad Railway which was to connect Berlin with the Persian Gulf

Kaiser William IIItalian Cartoon - 1915

The Moroccan Crisis

In 1904, France was supported by Britain to establish a protectorate

1905: Germany recognized the sultan as independent and promised German protection against France

1906: Germany (supported by Austria) lost control of Morocco to France who was supported by Britain and the U.S.

1869: Suez Canal restored Middle East to its former importance as crossroads of Eurasia

1914: Panama Canal strengthened military posture of the US

As Ottoman power declined, Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary were interested in the Balkans for their own purposes

Greece (1830) Serbia (1878) Montenegro (1878) Romania (1878) Bulgaria (1878)Bosnia (1878)Herzegovina (1878)Egypt under British (1882) Albania (1913)

Many subject territories of the Ottoman Empire gained independence:

Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia & Herzegovina in 1908Serbia dreamed of an independent Slavic State that included Bosnia, BUT

October 6, 1908: Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia/Herzegovina.This meant that Serbia’s hopes of an independent state for its people was dashed. (A large Serbian population was living in Bosnia/Herzegovina.)

Though Russia was against Austria-Hungary’s actions, Germany was willing to back up Austria by force if necessary

June 28, 1914Bosnia

Bosnia & Herzegovina annexedby Austria-Hungary in 1908

In order to control Balkan territory, Austria-Hungary wanted to suppress nationalist, movements especially in Serbia. However, Russia supported Serbian nationalism as fellow Slavs.

Germany supported Austria as it had its own agenda for the Balkans and beyond.

Austria-Hungary declared war against Serbia on July 28, 1914Russia declared war against Austria-Hungary and GermanyGermany declared war against Russia on August 1, 1914Germany declared war against France (ally of Russia) August 3, 1914Germany invades neutral Belgium to try to win in France August 4, 1914Britain declared war against Germany on August 4, 1914Ottomans declared war on Allies in August, 1914US declares neutrality August 18, 1914

By Christmas, 1914, 400 miles of trench on the Western Front

1881: British occupation of Egypt

1830: French occupation of Algiers

Arabia in the middle: Detail from the 1899 Rand McNally & Company's Indexed Atlas of the World. Courtesy of Harvard Map Collection

1926: Sculpture of Thomas Edward Lawrence

Arab leaders declared independence from Ottoman rule in 1916.

1920s: Ibn Saud, leader of the Wahhabi movement consolidated rule over a new Saudi Arabia. It was a poor country at the outset.

1930s: American Standard Oil found oil along the Persian Gulf.An Arabian/American oil company called “Aramco” was established.

The Middle East in 1919

Per the British Balfour Declaration of 1917, Jews began to arrive in Palestine though the majority of people were Muslim

To alleviate tensions between Muslims and Jews, Britain created “Trans-Jordan” in eastern Palestine

US Enters WWI:

1915 – Sinking of the Lusitania by Germany / Killed 120 Americans

1916 – Sussex sunk by German U-Boats

Business interests?

Protecting the international environment?

US interests in the Middle East?