1. World War I

2. Europe on the Brink of War
Rising tensions in Europe, 1914
Tensions result of four factors
Militarism (Arms Race)
Entangled Alliances
Imperialism (Competition for Colonies)
Nationalism

3. Europe on the Brink of War
Militarism
Massive military buildup in European countries, late 1800s and early 1900s
Wanted to protect overseas colonies from other nations
Growing power of armed forces left all sides ready to act at first sign of trouble
Minor disagreements had potential to turn to armed conflict

4. Europe on the Brink of War
Alliances
Nations formed partnerships to protect against opposing forces
Triple Alliance united Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
Great Britain joined France and Russia in the Triple Entente
Believed no one nation would attack another because allies would join the fight

5. Europe on the Brink of War
Imperialism
Late 1800s and early 1900s saw quest to build empires
Created rivalry, ill will among European nations
Germany, France, Russia, Great Britain vied to become great imperial nations
Each did no want others to gain power

6. Europe on the Brink of War
Nationalism
Strong devotion to one’s national group or culture, increased in late 1800s
Led to formation of new countries, struggles for power
Most visible in Balkan Peninsula, southeastern Europe
Home to many ethnic groups trying to break free from Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires

7. Europe on the Brink of War
Some of the strongest nationalist tensions in the Balkans were in Serbia, an independent nation
Throughout the 1800s the Serbian people had fought a war against the Ottoman Empire for Serbian independence – something they would achieve in stages
Serbian leaders wanted to expand the borders of Serbia even further, uniting all the Serbian people into a “greater Serbia” – many ethnic Serbs remained in the borders of other lands
Austria-Hungary, a powerful empire to the north, opposed expansion
Feared growth of Serbia might encourage ethnic groups in their empire to rebel
Tensions continued to rise in the early 1900s

8. The Shot Heard Round the World
In the midst of the tensions with Serbia, archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary decided to visit the Bosnian city of Sarajevo
28 June, year-old university student Gavrilo Princip assassinated the archduke and his pregnant wife – he was Serbian by ethnicity but a citizen of Austria-Hungary
During his arrest and interrogation he implicated a number of members of the Serbian military
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia
Russia, seeing itself as the protector of the Slavic people, prepared to support Serbia
Germany, ally of Austria-Hungary, saw Russia as a threat and prepared to support Austria-Hungary
Germany declared war on Russia – who in turn was allied with France

9. War Breaks Out Fighting Begins
Germany faced war on two fronts: Russia to the east, France to the west
Decided to strike France quickly then move to face the larger but slower Russia
Began with a quick strike through neutral Belgium
Attack on neutral country led Great Britain to declare war on Germany
Italy, the last member of the Triple Alliance, declined to join its allies at the start of the war stating that the agreement had been meant as a defensive alliance
May 1915 – Italy joined the war against Germany and Austria-Hungary

10. The Schlieffen Plan
Fearing a war on two fronts, the Germans adopted the Schlieffen plan
It called for a lightening fast sweep through Belgium and on to France, encircling Paris
The aim was to knock France out of the war quickly before Russia could mobilise its forces
It failed for two reasons:
Britain entered the war after Germany invaded Belgium
Russia mobilised far quicker than expected

11. Fighting in 1914 Germany’s plan Russia enters fighting Early battles
Germany wanted to quickly defeat France, move east to fight Russia
Great Britain’s declaration of war on Germany doomed its plan
The Great War became a bloody stalemate
Early battles
Battle of the Frontiers pitted Germany troops against both French and British
Both sides suffered heavy losses – Germany victorious
Russia enters fighting
Russia attacked German territory from the east
Russians defeated in Battle of Tannenberg
Germany distracted from France, Allies turned on German invaders

12. Fighting in 1914 Trench warfare begins
Allied troops drove Germans back, Battle of the Marne, September 1914
Retreating Germans dug a series of trenches along Aisne River
Waited in trenches for Allied attack
Trenches elaborately contrasted, cleverly concealed
Allies dug trenches of their own
Major battles for months with little change in positions
Deadlocked region become known as the Western Front