1. Start of “The Great War”: 1871-1914
The War to End all Wars

2. Some Major Events: 1871 German Unification, there is a new major power
Franco-Prussian War : German victory leads to it taking to important formerly French areas, Alsace and Lorraine, two wealthy provinces
Russo Japanese War (Won by Japan)

3. The 4 major causes of the war

4. Imperialism
Many European countries had conflicting imperial interests (many wanted to control the same areas)
Nations raced to get control in China, Africa

5. Africa in 1914

8. Militarism Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Great Britain, Russia
All these had been building up militarily, Germany and Britain had a naval “arms race”
Many wanted to prove their superiority by force

9. Nationalism
Nations acted in their own best interests, not always with concern about other nations
Citizens of nations (such as France, Germany, and Great Britain) believed their countries to be “superior” and were willing to fight to prove it

10. War was considered DESIREABLE, the ultimate “Social Darwinism” or survival of the fittest

12. Alliances
Germany feared being attacked from both the East and West by France and Russia
Russia and Austria-Hungary were competing for the same areas in the Balkans
Britain came to fear Germany’s expanding navy more than French colonial competition, but originally did not want to ally with anyone
Italy was purchased by the “highest bidder” (what will they get out of it if they join)
France had invested $$ in Russia
Ottoman Empire: Fading fast, leaving openings for other countries
“The sick old man of Europe”

13. Triple Alliance 1882: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
Dual Alliance 1894: France and Russia

15. When war finally began, the German prince called it a “jolly little war”
Allies: France, Russia, Great Britain
Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, Italy

16. Short Term Causes
The Assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary

17. Assassinations of High Ranking Government Officials
President of France Shah of Persia President of Uruguay Prime Minister of Spain President of Guatemala Empress of Austria President of Dominican Republic 1899 King of Italy President of the USA (McKinley) 1901 King and Queen of Serbia Prime Minister of Greece Prime Minister of Bulgaria Prime Minister of Persia King of Portugal Prime Minister of Egypt Prime Minister of Russia Prime Minister of Spain President of Mexico
King of the Hellenes Archduke Franz Joseph Starts World War I.

18. Assassinations
By far the most famous assassination was the murder of the Archduke and Archduchess of Austria, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie
Their assassination was the “Spark” that ignited World War I

19. Assassinations
Their assassination prompted other countries to take sides—soon countries joined against each other and fell like dominoes into the war.

20. Fallout from the assassination
A young Serbian named Gavrilo Princip assassinated the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo, Bosnia in 1914
Princip was a member of the Serbian secret society known as the Black Hand.
The Black Hand wanted to see the creation of a larger Serbian nation that would unite all of the Slavic people in Bosnia with those in the Serbian Kingdom and the Austro Hungarian Empire.
Franz Ferdinand, as the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne wanted to control the Slavic people of Austria-Hungary and therefore posed a threat to the Black Hands goals.

21. Fallout from the assassination
Members of the Black Hand were stationed along a preannounced parade route that Franz Ferdinand would be driving in.
Each armed with either a bomb or a bomb and pistol.
Members also had a cyanide pill to ingest following their successful or failed mission.

22. Fallout from the assassination
The cars passed the first two assassins who both failed to act.
The third assassin tossed his bomb at the car but it bounced off of the folded down top and rolled under another car before detonating and injuring 20 people.
This assassin swallowed his cyanide pill and then jumped into the Milijacka River.
His suicide attempt failed as the cyanide pill only induced vomiting and the Milijacka was only 5 inches deep.

23. Fallout from the assassination
Police dragged him from the river and the crowd began to beat him.
As the motorcade sped off it passed the remaining three assassins who failed to act including Gavrilo Princip.
After learning that the assassination had been unsuccessful Princip went to a nearby food shop.
When Princip emerged, he saw Franz Ferdinand's open car reversing after having taken the wrong turn.

24. Fallout from the assassination
After realizing the mistake, the driver put his foot on the brake, and began to back up.
In doing so the engine of the car stalled and the gears locked, giving Princip his opportunity.
Princip stepped forward, pistol-whipped a nearby pedestrian, and fired two shots from a distance of about five feet hitting the Archduke in the jugular and the Archduchess in the abdomen killing both almost instantly.

25. Fallout from the assassination
As a show of superiority Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia to punish them.
The Black Hand was tied to the Serbian government.
Russia, an ally of Serbia, declares war on Austria-Hungary to restore balance in Europe.
Germany, an ally of Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia and Serbia.

26. Fallout from the assassination
France declares war on Germany to get back at them for an earlier war.
During the Franco-Prussian War ( ) the powerful and dynamic state of Germany was officially formed disrupting the balance of power throughout Europe.
Additionally, with the signing of the Treaty of Frankfurt at the conclusion of the Franco- Prussian War the territories of Alsace and Lorraine were annexed by the newly recognized nation of Germany.

27. Fallout from the assassination
Germany was a war machine ready to rumble.
Germany had prepared for a two front war by creating the von Schlieffen plan.
The von Schlieffen plan called for Germany to mobilize against France and knock out the French capital of Paris before the Russians had time to mobilize.

28. Fallout from the assassination
To do this in a timely manner the Germans would need to pass through the country of Belgium and invade France rather than going directly to the French-German border which was heavily fortified in areas like Verdun.
Germany never asked permission from the Belgians to pass through their country and therefore this would be a violation of Belgian neutrality.
The von Schlieffen plan allowed the Germans 6 weeks to completely capture Paris and then reverse all of their supplies and men from the Western front to the Eastern front and engage in war with Russia.
Britain joins the war because Germany violated Belgium’s neutrality

29. Assassinations The assassins were mostly young, and male
They were discontent
Few had families
Many were dying of Tuberculosis
And sadly, they were, at times, successful in causing upheaval

30. The Start of “The Great War”