1. Other Causes of the War 1) The Will to Make War:
Literature, the press, & education prepared the European public for war by portraying it as short, glorious, & heroic
Nationalism was inflamed by right-wing groups such as the Pan-German League and Action Française

2. Other Causes of the War 2) Militarism and the Arms Race:
Between military spending by European powers increased by 300%
Use of conscription & large standing armies
3) War Plans:
Germany  The Schlieffen Plan
France  Plan XVII
Russia  Plan 19
Austria-Hungary  Plan R and Plan B

3. Other Causes of the War 3) War Plans: cont’d
Significance: reduced the flexibility of the Great Powers’ response to a crisis

4. Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke (The Elder)

5. Moltke’s Two-Front War Strategy
Split the army evenly (more or less) between East & West
Go on the defensive on both fronts
France certain to attack to regain Alsace-Lorraine; when it failed Germany would seek a compromise peace

7. Moltke’s Two-Front War Strategy
Specifically warned against extending military operations to Paris – learned from Franco-Prussian War
Difficult to conclude a peace when besieging an enemy capital

8. Moltke (The Eastern Front)
Same strategy as the West
Defeat a Russian attack; push the Russian Army back a strategically significant distance
Offer a compromise peace

9. Alfred von Schlieffen
1905: Rejects Moltke’s plan because it left the military initiative to Germany’s enemies
Rejected Moltke’s preference for political compromise
Preferred TOTAL VICTORY
Elaborate scheme for a quick and decisive victory on one front
Would be followed by throwing all of Germany’s forces against the other adversary

11. The Schlieffen Plan
Decided to destroy the French army first, before the Russian army was fully mobilized
Would circumvent the French fortifications at the German border by violating Belgium’s neutrality
Capture Paris and trap the French army from the rear in its fortresses along the border
Stay defensive in the East

14. Problems 1) Britain’s involvement
2) Does not allow for the possibility of failure
3) Schlieffen Plan insists on a two-front war
What if France declares war after Russian mobilization?

15. The Immediate Causes of the War: July Crisis (1914)
1) The Sarajevo Assassination:
Early in 1914, no one expected a war; Bosnian crisis had passed w/out a great power conflict
Gavrilo Princip  Franz Ferdinand & his wife; shock to all of Europe
Showdown between A-H & Serbia now seemed inevitable
Princip (Bosnian)  Austrian subject; assumed he had gotten support from Serbia

18. 2) The “Blank Check”
5-6 July both the Kaiser & Bethmann-Hollweg promised full German support for A-H in whatever measures it took against Serbia
Went further: recommended immediate action against Serbia
Assumption: Nicholas II wouldn’t support the assassination of a fellow royal
Germany prepared to risk (though it didn’t expect) a general European war
A-H does nothing; 3 weeks little indication Europe was  a crisis

19. Portrait of The Kaiser & Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg

20. 2) The “Blank Check” (cont’d)
Kaiser departs for his yachting holiday
No frantic war planning in Germany
No alarm in France, Britain, or Russia
No real crisis until 23 July 1914

21. Why did it take A-H so long to act?
1) Hope to find clear evidence the Serbian government was involved in the assassination; failed to find it
BUT – complicity of Serbian officials is undeniable (Col. Dimitrijevic – Serbian military intelligence chief)
2) Hungarians not persuaded by Austria until 16 July of the need for military action
3) French (President Poincaré) & Russian (PM Viviani) meeting July
Austrians don’t want to let them plan

22. 3) The Ultimatum
Presented on 23 July 1914 by Austria-Hungary to Serbia; shocked many ministers
10 demands (Austria certain Serbia wouldn’t accept) had to be met in 48 hours
Serbian reply seemed conciliatory
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia and bombarded Belgrade
Russia was determined to stand firm this time – ordered mobilization (July 30)

23. The Third Balkan War? Austria-Hungary vs. Serbia & Russia
Germany declared war on Russia & began mobilization (August 1)
Demands of Schlieffen Plan – Germany  ultimatum to France wanting French neutrality (rejected)
Germany declares war on France (Aug. 3)
Britain chooses to uphold a treaty from 1839 to maintain Belgian neutrality –
Britain declares war on Germany (Aug. 4)

24. This cartoon - 'A Chain of Friendship' - appeared in the American newspaper the Brooklyn Eagle in July 1914.   The caption read: “If Austria attacks Serbia, Russia will fall upon Austria, Germany upon Russia, and France and England upon Germany.”