World War I: 1914-1918 The Great War
Austro-Hungarian Empire I. Europe Before the War Russian Empire German Empire Great Britain Austro-Hungarian Empire France Balkans
II. Optimism Before the War Scientific and technological advances Economic prosperity belief that the world had become too “civilized” for war
II. Why The Great War Began Imperialism – competition for colonial empires fueled rivalry Example: Moroccan crisis between Germany and France Nationalism – Ethnic groups wanted nations of their own (especially in Austria-Hungary). Example: Slavic people in the Balkan “powder keg” Serbia was an independent Slavic nation and wanted other Slavs to join them in a new nation-state. The area had several wars in the early 1900s, trying to achieve this aim.
II. Why the Great War Began Militarism – “glorification of military strength” Each nation tried to get a bigger army or navy than the other (arms race) Alliance System – leaders of nations promised to aid one another in case of attack Central Powers/Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire Allied Powers/Triple Entente – Great Britain, France, Russia
III. The Spark Wow. Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria – assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia (in the Balkans) by a Serbian nationalist Austria declares war on Serbia. Russia had to honor its alliance with Serbia. Alliance system kicks in, and soon everyone is at war. Nations enter with excitement; believe the war will be short.
IV. Schlieffen Plan Germany’s War Plan The Reality: Massive attack to quickly defeat France Then focus on Russia in the East The Reality: Attacks bog down (Battle of the Marne) Both sides build trenches and realize the war will not be short Trench Warfare begins
Roots of War
War of Attrition/ Total War New method of warfare based on new weapons ALL human/natural resources poured into war Whoever ran out of these things first would lose Colonies taken advantage of, for extraction of human/natural resources Colonial peoples used in labor roles at the Western Front
Trench Life