1. Learning Targets Four MAIN causes of WW1: Militarism Alliances
Imperialism
Nationalism
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Alliances are triggered
Triple Entente
Triple Alliance
Germany Attacks First
Start of WW1
Invasion of Belgium
Trench Warfare
Dulce et Decorum Est (poem)
Learning Targets
SWBAT – define the 4 MAIN causes of WW1
SWBAT – explain how the alliances made the conflict larger than it needed to be.
SWBAT – defend an opinion on which cause was most responsible for starting the war.
SWBAT – describe what life in a trench was like.
SWBAT – Analyze a poem from a WW1 soldier.

2. The 4 MAIN Causes of WW1
Militarism – Building up military supply and troop levels in preparation for war or imperialism.
Alliances – Agreements between countries (sometimes unwritten) to help certain countries out in case of war.
Imperialism – When one country takes over a smaller territory for its resources, land, and military strategy.
Nationalism – Extreme pride in ones race, ethnicity, or country.

3. Militarism
Super powers with strong militaries still practicing militarism by 1914:
Britain*
France
Russia
Italy
Germany*
Austria-Hungary
USA
World powers practiced militarism for various reasons:
For imperialism purposes
To protect against imperialism
To defend their country for war
To be prepared just in case of war
To prepare for future engagements
Military stats for WW1

4. Alliances
Many of Europe’s rulers were related and or married into families to gain potential alliances.
After these marriages either failed or in many cases worked, other issues arose that caused tension to build.
This led to the formation of formal military alliances
The Triple Entente – Britain, France, and Russia at the start of the war.
The Triple Alliance – Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy at the start of the war.
There were multiple other secret alliances and unwritten alliances that would be used if certain conditions were met.

5. Imperialism Most world powers did this.
The strongest countries in Europe chose resource rich locations and places that gave them a military advantage. They also chose territories they saw as less than them and that couldn’t resist them.
Example: Africa.
Weaker countries chose to start with their neighbors who couldn’t resist being taken over.
Example: Austria-Hungary
Britain had largest amount of colonies.
Germany was strategic and precise.

6. Nationalism
Growing understanding of cultural similarities causes people in Europe especially to form strong bonds.
A feeling begins to rise in many cultural groups, that they are superior to other culture groups for various reasons.
Creates a lot of tension between cultural groups. Forces people to choose to be loyal to rulers who often came from neighboring countries for alliances, or to be loyal to their cultural group.
People begin recognizing slight differences in culture and begin to shift toward their own.
Dulce et Decorum Est, Pro Patria Mori!
It is right and proper to die for one’s country!

7. The Assassination of Archduke
Sequence of Events in summer 1914 in Sarajevo, Bosnia:
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of A.H. (crown prince) decides to go visit troops in Sarajevo, Bosnia. He is warned there is tension there and he would be at risk.
He and his wife Sophie go anyways. While there at one of his first stops, a grenade goes off near his car.
They continue to do what they went there to do.
They stop to meet soldiers.
They head to their next destination.
Their driver gets confused and takes a wrong turn. While on a side street, the 19 year old assassin from Serbia’s nationalist group (The Black Hand) stepped onto the car rail and shot him and his wife.
They died later that day.

8. WW1 Begins Officially 1. Serbia calls on Russia to defend it.
Russia prepares for war.
2. Austria-Hungary calls Germany who is ready immediately.
3. Germany invades neutral Belgium and hammers it with artillery on the way to France.
4. France and Britain mobilize and prepare to fight Germany.
5. Italy starts on Germany and Austria-Hungary’s side, but then switches to the other side.
Allies:
Britain, France, Russia, USA
Central Powers (bad guys):
Italy at first, Germany, Austria-Hungary

9. Trench Warfare
Trench – a narrow row dug from small shovels to about 6-8 feet deep and about 5-6 feet wide.
Over 450 miles of trenches dug. Different sizes and styles were utilized by different countries.
No Man’s Land – the bombed out area between two trenches.
Life in the trenches:
Guiding question for research: What was life like in a trench in WW1?
What was the weather like?
Living conditions?
Environment?
Effects on troops?

10. Trench Warfare