1. The Great War: Causes of the War
Cause 1— European Alliances
Cause 2 — Imperialism

2. The effect of Pan-Slavism
Pan-Slavism: a movement trying to bring about the unity of all Slav nations
Slavic: a group of people found in central and eastern Europe
In A-H millions of Czechs, Slovaks and Croats wanted the freedom to speak their own language and practice their own customs — the “minority ethnic groups” hated their rulers and looked to Russia to help protect them
A-H wanted to control the Slavic people in its own empire without other countries interfering
Balkan League (Ser/Bulg/Gre/Monte
attack and defeat Turkey 1912
Bulg attacks Serb/Gre
Serbia doubles territory

3. Alsace-Lorraine Why this piece of land?
previously Germany had taken it off of France (1871)
Raw materials
French Pride (taken off of French after defeat in Franco-Prussian war)

4. What are the implications of war for Africa?
European Expansion
What are the implications of war for Africa?

5. Cause 3— The arms race
“If the German fleet becomes superior to ours, the German army can conquer this country.” - Sir Edward Grey, British Foreign Secretary
Dreadnought— the name of a British battleship that entered service in 1906 — it became a general name for all ships of the era

6. Arms race: Naval race
Germany built 17 dreadnoughts, 5 battlecruisers by aug 1914
Britain built 24 dreadnoughts and 10 battlecruisers
The arms race was simply a race to
be armed with modern warfare
equipment and to increase the
nations army

7. New technology Machine gun -1869
TNT for artillery and naval shells ’s
US Navy submarine
75mm gun, firing 30 rounds/ minute -1898
Dreadnought
Aircraft dropping grenades

8. Cause 4- Trade rivalries
By 1914 European countries had many colonies because:
provide food and raw materials
market for investment and industrial products
provide soldiers in war times
strategic position allowing mother country to protect interests abroad
Kaiser Wilhelm II
-he wanted to expand
the German empire
after 1871

9. LONG TERM CAUSES
SHORT TERM CAUSES
Empire Rivalry
Alsace and Lorraine
Trade Rivalry
Naval arms race
Pan-Slavism
Alliances
Trouble in the Balkans