1. World War I “The Great War” “The War to End All Wars”
“The War to Make the World Safe for Democracy”

2. The Causes of WWI
Militarism
Alliance System
Imperialism
Nationalism

3. Imperialism Industrial economies compete for colonies
French vs. Britain = Fashoda Incident
compromise leads to Entente Cordiale
Moroccan crisis (1905)
Germany tries to split Entente Cordiale
advocates for Moroccan independence
demands international conference
Britain and others side with France

4. Moroccan Crisis

5. Imperialism Industrial economies compete for colonies
German East Africa (Tanzania)
stands in the way of Cairo to Cape Town railway

6. Cairo to Cape Town

7. Imperialism Geopolitical strategy Britain wants to protect India
Britain vs. Russia = Central Asia
“The Great Game”
Divide Persia into spheres of influence
Acknowledges British control over Afghanistan
Both sides pledge non-interference in Tibet
Allows Anglo-Russian Entente

8. Imperialism multi-national empires in Europe. Austria-Hungary
Expanded into Bosnia as Ottomans decline
Ottoman decline creates turmoil of new states jockeying for territorial advantage
Balkan Wars

9. Imperialism vs. Nationalism

10. Nationalism Pride in one’s country
leading to competition between nations
France wants revenge on Germany for Franco-Prussian defeat (return of Alsace-Lorraine)
“revanchism”
Germany wants empire to prove status
“sun never sets on the British Empire.”
Desire for self-determination, freedom from foreign control
Balkans = “the powder keg”
many ethnic groups want self-determination
Serbs, Bulgarians, Romanians, etc.
Austria-Hungary (expanding)
Ottomans (retreating = “sick man of Europe”)
Russia is the traditional protector of Southern Slavs
Pan-Slavism

12. Balkan Nationalism

13. Militarism War is a means of achieving goals
Military power essential for national strength
threats favored over diplomacy
Kaiser Wilhelm II = insecure blowhard
Tries to assert his authority
Fires Bismarck in 1890
Influence of military on decision-making
military philosophy infiltrates civilian govt.
leads to arms race
France and Germany 2x military $ (1870 – 1914)
Germany and Britain compete for naval power
Who can launch the most “dreadnoughts”
War is “glorious”
Young men are eager to get into the “last war”
but unaware of what awaits them

14. “Dulce et Decorum est Pro Patria Mori”
“It is sweet and glorious to die for one’s country”

15. Alliance System Triple Entente (“understanding”)
Develops after Bismarck is fired
France and Russia
France financing Russian industrialization
Bismarck’s worst fear comes true
“Germany is encircled”
France and Britain
Entente Cordiale
both “democracies”
Britain irritated w/German naval buildup
Britain guarantees Belgium neutrality
guarantees all major powers become involved in the conflict.
Draws 3rd parties into conflict

16. Alliance System Pan-Slavism Three Emperor’s League fails
Russia as Serbia’s protector
Russia and Austria compete in Balkans as the Ottomans fade.
Three Emperor’s League fails
Pan-Germanism/fear of Russia
Unites Germany and Austria
Germany likes weak partner
Bismarck fired 1990
Reinsurance Treaty not renewed
Final bond with Russia broken 
Ottomans wary of Russians
Russia wants Dardanelles
Link Black Sea to Mediterranean
Germans gives Turks military support
together they will contain Russia
Bulgarians want revenge on Serbia
Balkan Wars
Alliance System
guarantees all major powers become involved in the conflict.
Draws 3rd parties into conflict

17. Spark that ignited the powder keg
Gavrilo Princeps
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his Family

18. Spark that ignited the powder keg

19. The Aftermath of Sarajevo or “The March to War”
Kaiser gives Austria a “blank check”
Urges them to move quickly while global opinion is still against Serbia
Austria waits a month, then declares war
Russia mobilizes in support of Serbia
Germany must mobilize in response
Schiefflen Plan kicks in (avoid two front war)
knock out France, then focus on Russia
Germany invades neutral Belgium
in an attempt to capture Paris and knockout France
almost succeeds, stopped 25 miles short
Britain declares war because of violation of Belgian neutrality

20. Schlieffen Plan Stalemate on the Western Front