The Great War:   The Road to WWI    

Essential Question: What were the CAUSES of WWI?

WWI Causes of World War I LONG TERM CAUSES SHORT TERM CAUSE Imperialism Nationalism Alliances Militarism SHORT TERM CAUSE “The Powder Keg” WWI

NATIONALISM CAUSE #1 Remember, Nationalism means having a strong sense of devotion and loyalty to one's country. A newly unified Germany quickly became an industrial and military power in Europe. However, it wanted more power. France was once the dominant power in Europe but had lost some regions to Germany in the Franco-Prussian War. France wanted to regain this territory. Britain was still the most powerful empire in the world and it wanted to remain so. Some groups who were ruled by powerful empires wanted to build their own nation states.  (ex: Bosnia-Herzegovina wanted independence from Austria-Hungary).

CAUSE #2 IMPERIALISM Remember, Imperialism is when a country takes over new lands or countries and makes them subject to their rule.   The British Empire extended over six (of seven) continents.  France had colonies on four continents.   The Russian Empire extended from eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean.  Germany only had a few colonies in Africa and Asia and  wanted to expand its empire. Austria-Hungary, as well as the Ottoman Empire were weak and mostly wanted to keep what was left of their empires intact.

Great Britain and her colonies in 1914 France and her colonies in 1914

Ottoman Empire in 1914 Germany and her empire in 1914

ALLIANCES Before the outbreak of war the alliances were: CAUSE #3 ALLIANCES An alliance is an agreement made between two or more countries to give each other help if needed.   Before the outbreak of war the alliances were: Triple Entente France Russia Great Britain Triple Alliance Germany Austria-Hungary Italy During war, known as... ALLIED POWERS During war, known as.. CENTRAL POWERS.

Despite its alliance agreements, Italy did not join the war until 1915. What happened to Italy? Remember… Italy had sided with Germany and Austria- Hungary in the Triple Alliance. In theory, Italy should have joined in the sides of these two nations when war broke out in August 1914 but...She did not! What Italy did was wait and see how the war progressed. On April 26th 1915, she came into the war on the side of the Allied Powers – Britain, France and Russia. WHY?????? Italy was promised land by the Allied Powers if she would switch sides. This was done through a secret alliance.

CAUSE #4 MILITARISM     An Arms Race is when 2 or more countries compete with each other to build bigger and stronger militaries.   French and German armies had nearly doubled by 1914.  The British Navy introduced the 'Dreadnought', a large and powerful battleship in 1906. The Germans soon introduced their own fleet of battleships. Stockpiles of new weapons were built.  These included tanks, machine guns, planes, flame throwers, and poisonous gas.

'Dreadnought' battleships, tanks, planes and chemical weapons were just some of the new weapons that each European powers tried to acquire more and more of.

SHORT- TERM Cause “The Powder Keg” The tense, nationalistic feelings of the people in the Balkan region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (Serbia, Bosnia, etc.) gave the region the nickname of the "Powder Keg of Europe." IT WAS READY TO EXPLODE!

“The Powder Keg” What was the spark to ignite the explosion? SHORT- TERM Cause “The Powder Keg” What was the spark to ignite the explosion? Assasination of Austro-Hungarian heir to the throne by a SERBIAN.

European military alliances of WWI Allied Powers Great Britain France Italy Russia Romania Serbia Montenegro Greece Portugal Belgium Central Powers   Germany Austria- Hungary Bulgaria Ottoman Empire Dark orange = Entente allies Light orange = Central powers Green = Neutral countries

MILITARY PERSONNEL MILITARY DEATHS MILITARY CASUALTIES RUSSIA 12,000,000 1,700,000 9,150,000 GERMANY 11,000,000 1,773,700 7,142,558 AUSTRIA HUNGARY 7,800,000 1,200,000 7,020,000 FRANCE 8,410,000 1,357,800 6,160,800 BRITISH EMPIRE 8,904,467 908,371 3,190,235 ITALY 5,615,000 650,000 2,197,000 OTTOMAN EMPIRE 2,850,000 325,000 975,000 UNITED STATES 4,355,000 126,000 364,800 OTHER 4,104,343 497,444 1,298,293 TOTAL 65,038,810 8,538,315 37,508,686

Passchendaele poem and video: WWI leaders: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/world-war-i-history/pictures/world-war-i-leaders/wilhelm-ii-in-military-uniform WWI satirical maps: http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2008/08/dogs-of-war.html WWI casualties: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWdeaths.htm WWI Art: http://www.art-ww1.com/gb/visite.html Passchendaele video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGVmOS9yM6M&feature=related Passchendaele poem and video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmt5c2QIGz4&feature=related Passchendaele Trench Detectives: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdY67mI_LAA&feature=related

Zeppelin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfUaw0BfaZA&playnext=1&list=PLBD8819DC26C8E5D2 Big Bertha http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo-qAkjeH6U Submarine mines ship http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2CbYjruTcI&feature=related