Causes of World War One (WW1)

Outline the main causes of WW1

1. Militarism

• In 1898, Germany set out to create a navy twice the size of Britain’s.

• In 1905, A German military general called Schlieffen laid out a German plan to attack France if war broke out.

• In 1906, Britain launched the HMS Dreadnought, considered to be the most powerful ship afloat.

• German engineers soon began copying this design, leading to further tension.

• In 1913, France also developed a war plan to attack Germany if war broke out; it was called plan 17.

• There was therefore an arms race between Britain and France on one side and Germany on the other…this eventually led to WW1.

Source 1: Germany and France’s War Plans

2. Nationalism• In the late 1890s, a many Europeans had come to think of war

as a heroic adventure in which they would gladly participate• People took pride in all things military.• In Europe before 1914, governments encouraged their

populations strongly committed to the wider country.• Children were encouraged to view other nations rather than

their own as the source of their own problems. • There was therefore general support for war in Europe in the

1900s.

Source 2 – British war time propaganda poster

3. The Alliance System• Increasing national rivalries within and beyond Europe

resulted in nations forming two rival alliances.• From 1907 onwards, the major powers were all members of

one of these two rival power blocs.• Britain joined with Russia and France in an alliance known as

the Triple Entente• While Germany was linked with Austria-Hungary and Italy in

the Triple Alliance.• These agreements increased nations’ sense of strength and

protection and fostered the fear and mistrust of the nations that did not belong to them.

• There was therefore two opposed teams ready to declare war on eachother when the moment arose.

Source 3: A map showing the two major Europe Alliances

4. Imperialism • By the year 1900 the British Empire had grown to include over

five continents, whilst France controlled large areas of Western Africa.

• With the spread of the industrial revolution from England into western Europe countries compete for colonies overseas so they could import raw materials (tea leaves) and export finished products (tea).

• The amounts of land ‘owned’ by Britain and France increased the rivalry with Germany who only began acquiring colonies in Africa in the late Twentieth Century.

• The desire for empire (imperialism) therefore, was another reason for the increased tension between the Great Powers in Europe before WW1.

Source 4: A 1914 Map showing the colonies of the European Imperial powers.