1. To What Extent Should We Embrace Nationalism?
To What Extent Should National Interest be Pursued?

2. What is National Interest?
Actions that benefit a nation
Economic prosperity: Stable employment and standard of living
Security and safety: protecting citizens, secure borders
Beliefs and values: people’s values and cultures. Protecting the beliefs and values of the citizens

3. Our national interests DO NOT remain the same over time
Events both within a country and externally continually shape and influence a nation’s national interest
What types of issues can change a nation’s national interest?

5. Causes of The First World War

6. Prelude to War Congress of Vienna 1814-1815
Nationalist fervor takes place throughout Europe in the 1800s
Industrial Revolution drastically changes world economies
Berlin Conference of 1884 and the Scramble for Africa
Rise of Imperialism

7. Causes of WWI - MAIN
Militarism
Alliances
Imperialism
Nationalism

8. 1910-1914 Increase in Defense Expenditures
Militarism
When a nation’s armed forces come to dominate a country’s national policy
It is also a glorification of the military and war itself
Increase in Defense Expenditures
France
10%
Britain
13%
Russia
39%
Germany
73%

9. Alliances (Imperial)
Signed treaties in which each nation involved pledges to defend its allies if attacked
The alliances made it more likely that a war would start
Once started, the alliances made it more likely to spread

11. Alliances Triple Entente: Triple Alliance: Great Britain Germany
Austria-Hungary
France
Russia
Italy

12. Imperialism
Domination by one country over the political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region
European countries believed it was their national interest to expand territories and control colonies
Due to the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s, some European nations had a large portion of the world under their control

13. Imperialism and Colonial Rivalries
After 1870, the European nations began to acquire colonies in Asia, Africa and the Pacific
Colonial rivalry led to:
strained relations among the European powers. In Africa, all the European powers except Austria and Russia had colonies there. Thus there were many clashes among France, Britain, Germany and Italy.
the formation and strengthening of alliances and ententes. (indirectly)
an intensification of the arms race.
much hostility among the powers.

16. Nationalism Pride and patriotism in one’s nation
In terms of WWI, nationalism became aggressive and because of this a major cause of international tension
Independent nations desired dominance and prestige and as these powers tried to dominate each other in Europe, their rivalries may be regarded as one of the causes of the First World War

17. Nationalism

18. Nationalism

19. Assassination The “spark” that started the First World War
On June 28, 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austria Hungarian Throne was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist who believed that Bosnia should belong to Serbia

20. Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Duchess Sophie at Sarajevo, Bosnia, on June 28, 1914

21. Gavrilo Princip after his assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand

23. The Point of No Return
Austria blamed Serbia for Ferdinand’s death and declared war on Serbia.
Germany pledged their support for Austria -Hungary.
Russia pledged their support for Serbia.

24. Germany declares war on Russia
France pledges their support for Russia
Germany declares war on France
Germany invades Belgium on the way to France
Great Britain supports Belgium and declares war on Germany