Causes of the GREAT WAR (1914 – 1918)

November 17, 2014

• Industrial Revolution had a HUGE impact on the start of the Great War• Countries compete for BEST INVENTIONS• Also…Want BEST COLONIES to get resources• Natural resources: wood, iron, oil, gas, coal, etc.• Need resources to fuel industrial revolutionMAIN Causes to the Great War1. Militarism: glorification of the military in various European countries• Competition between countries to have BEST MILITARY • Countries want to invent BEST MILITARY WEAPONS2. Alliances: agreement between countries to protect each other• Good thing, BUT bad because:• SOMETHING SMALL TURNS INTO SOMETHING BIG3. Imperialism: Build EMPIRE (add colonies/ territories to country)• Competition to have BEST colonies with BEST resources4. Nationalism: EXTREME pride for your country• Belief that your country is BEST• Social Darwinism applies…The BEST country will prevail (win)

• June 28, 1914: Heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary and his wife are assassinated by a Serbian nationalist

• July 28: Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia– Serbia has an alliance with RUSSIA– Austria-Hungary has an alliance with GERMANY

• August 1: Germany declares war on Russia– But…Russia has an alliance with FRANCE

• August 3: Germany declares war on France– In order to get to France, Germany walks through Belgium– Belgium considers this an ACT OF WAR

• August 4: Belgium declares war on Germany– But…Belgium has an alliance with England

• August 5: England declares war on Germany• Germany’s PROBLEM: 2 Front War• Eastern Front: Germany is fighting Russia & Serbia• Western Front: Germany is fighting England & France