The Road to WarLong Term and Short Term causes of war

Causes of WWI-Long Term• Militarism • Arms Race• Alliances• Imperialism• Nationalism

ThinkMAAIN to remember the

causes of WWI

Militarism

MilitarismThis was the belief that it was acceptable for counties to fight wars to get what it wanted. For example Germanyprepared the Schlieffen Plan for an attack on France

Competing countries increase and improve their armaments in an attempt to gain weapons superiority over another country.

Arms Race

Background to- Triple Alliance -1882Austria-Hungary, Germany, Italy

Russia had been allied with Germany and Austria-Hungary in ‘The League of the Three Emperors’ which had been created in 1873 by Tsar Alexander II (Russia), Emperor Franz Joseph I (Austria-Hungary) and Kaiser Wilhelm I (Germany).

Look at the map provided to see where these countries are

Germany’s Role in ‘The League of Three Emperors’

Chancellor Bismarck wanted to use The alliance (The League of Three Emperors) to isolate France diplomatically. France had lost territories to Germany in the 1870-71 Franco-Prussian war and Bismarck was concerned that France would try and regain these areas (Alsace and part of Lorraine). Look for this area on your map, it is on the border of Germany and France.

The League of Three Emperors was not renewed after 1885 (despite Russia’s attempts to have Germany agree to a renewal) because there was growing tensions between Russia and Austria-Hungary.

GermanyGermany’s Emperor was Kaiser Wilhelm I and Wilhelm’s Chancellor ,

Otto Von Bismarck.

KAISER WILHELM I CHANCELLOR , OTTO VON BISMARCK

Reassurance Treaty (1887)

In 1887, Bismarck (Germany) signed a secret treaty with Russia called the ‘Reassurance Treaty’. In this, both parties agreed to stay neutral toward each other should war break out. Despite having this secret treaty with Germany, Russia was concerned that it was becoming politically isolated, and so, in 1892 they entered a treaty with France called the ‘Franco-Russian Alliance’. Two years prior to this in 1890,when the new German Kaiser, Kaiser Wilhelm II, had came to power , he stood Bismarck down and let the ‘Reassurance Treaty’ lapse.

Franco-Russian Alliance (1892-1917) The ‘Duel Alliance, also called the ‘Franco-

Russian Alliance, was a political and military pact that developed between France and Russia. While each side had their own reasons for wanting this pact, a central theme was to join together against Germany. Germany assumed that the differences in belief and lack of common ground (France was now a republic and Russia had absolute monarchy, were the Tsar ruled completely, absolutely with no power being given to anyone else), would keep France and Russia apart and so, Germany allowed the ‘Reassurance Treaty ‘ to lapse.

To re-cap Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary had been on

the one side but this broke down in 1885. Germany and Russia had created separate and

secret pacts but they didn’t keep them going. Germany thought they didn’t need to worry about

Russia and France getting together because they were SO different

However, Russia had decided to join up with France because they recognised that Germany was a threat.

Italy, Germany and Austria-Hungary had, in 1882, created their own little group, called ‘The Triple alliance’.

Italy Like Germany, Italy had been formed from a collection

of former states. At first, its main concerns were to get its government established. In 1882 Italy joined the German, Austrian-Hungarian alliance to form the Triple Alliance, partly in anger at the French seizure of Tunisia in 1881, which many Italians had seen as a potential colony and partly to guarantee herself support in case of foreign aggression: the alliance compelled any signatory country to support the other parties if two other countries attacked.

However, Italian public opinion remained unenthusiastic about their country's alignment with Austria–Hungary.

Italy continued

In the years before World War I many distinguished military analysts predicted that Italy would change sides. This prediction was strengthened by Italy′s invasion of Tripoli, bringing it into conflict with the German-backed Ottoman Empire. There is some evidence that Germany and Austria–Hungary did not entirely trust their ally.

Italy changes sides Italy would not continue to become allied

with the ‘Central Powers’ as they came to be known. Italy was thought to have an agreement with Great Britain, Britain needed access to the Mediterranean, so that she could access her African and Indian colonies easily. Because Italy is surrounded by the Mediterranean, it could not afford to fall out with Britain. This is thought by many leading historians to be another reason that Italy changed sides.

Imperialism

Countries competed with other to gain

colonies (territory and people)

around the globe. For example the Dutch ruled over Indonesia whilst the British ruled

over India

Imperialism

In 1900 countries in Europe felt if they wanted to be great and powerful they had to colonise

During the 19th Century Britain and France had large empires and they continued to grow.

In the 1870s Italy and Germany became united countries. They too wanted overseas empires

The result was that in the years up to 1900 competition between the great European powers grew intense. They all wanted extra land and money.

Imperialism

Nationalism

NationalismMore than just love of a nation. Nationalists wanted to be seen as a strong and important country. This often led to aggressive behavior by that country

SummaryLongTermCauses

Could 2 bullets cause

13 million deaths?

Short Term reasons for war Austrian Archduke

Francis Ferdinand was the heir apparent and nephew of Austrian-Hungary Emperor Francis Joseph. While he and his wife, Czech Countess Sophie Chotek, rode in an open car in Sarajevo, Bosnia, they were assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. The act precipitated World War I.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbfhH6aK8vI