1. Text From 1914 to 1919, World War I erupted in Europe
What caused World War I?
This “Great War” was the largest, most destructive war the world had yet seen
WWI was a global war that altered the course of the 20th century

2. MILITARISM IMPERIALISM ALLIANCES
From 1870 to 1914, a number of developments gradually increased tensions among the European powers that led to the outbreak of World War I
The
MILITARISM
ALLIANCES
IMPERIALISM
NATIONALISM
causes of World War I
While peace and harmony characterized much of Europe at the beginning of the
1900s, there were less visible—and darker—forces at work as well. Below the
surface of peace and goodwill, Europe witnessed several gradual developments
that would ultimately help propel the continent into war.

3. MILITARISM
The Industrial Revolution led to large, advanced militaries in Europe
Europeans believed that to be great, nations had to have strong militaries
As a result, an arms race began among European nations, especially between Britain & Germany
Nations glorified military power & kept an army prepared for war (called militarism)
Yet another troubling development throughout the early years of the 20th century was the rise of a dangerous European arms race. The nations of Europe believed that to be truly great, they needed to have a powerful military. By 1914, all the Great Powers except Britain had large standing armies. In addition, military experts stressed the importance of being able to quickly mobilize, or organize and move troops in case of a war. Generals in each country developed highly detailed plans for such a mobilization. The policy of glorifying military power and keeping an army prepared for war was known as militarism. Having a large and strong standing army made citizens feel patriotic
Having a strong army increased patriotism among citizens

4. IMPERIALISM
Germany & France almost went to war three times over Morocco
European nations competed fiercely for colonies in Africa & Asia
England & France argued over rights to the Sudan
Germany, England, Russia argued over building a railroad in India
Competition for colonies often pushed Europeans
to the brink of war
This competition increased European rivalry & mistrust
Another force that helped set the stage for war in Europe was imperialism. As Chapter 27 explained, the nations of Europe competed fiercely for colonies in Africa and Asia. The quest for colonies sometimes pushed European nations to the brink of war. As European countries continued to compete for overseas empires, their sense of rivalry and mistrust of one another deepened.

5. ALLIANCES
Growing rivalries among nations led to the formation of two military alliances that threatened to draw European nations into war
Germany, Italy, & Austria-Hungary made up the Triple Alliance
England, France, & Russia formed the Triple Entente

6. NATIONALISM
Rivalries due to militarism & imperialism increased nationalism among European powers
European rivals tried to maintain a balance of power while also trying to overpower each other
One such development was the growth of nationalism, or a deep devotion to one’s nation. Nationalism can serve as a unifying force within a country. However, it also can cause intense competition among nations, with each seeking to overpower the other. By the turn of the 20th century, a fierce rivalry indeed had developed among Europe’s Great Powers. Those nations were Germany, Austria-Hungary, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, and France. This increasing rivalry among European nations stemmed from several sources. Competition for materials and markets was one. Territorial disputes were another. France, for example, had never gotten over the loss of Alsace-Lorraine to Germany in the Franco-Prussian War (1870). Austria-Hungary and Russia both tried to dominate in the Balkans, a region in southeast Europe. Within the Balkans, the intense nationalism of Serbs, Bulgarians, Romanians, and other ethnic groups led to demands for independence.
“European Balance of Power, 1914”
British propaganda poster, 1897
Austrian national poster, 1900

7. The Balkans became a “powder keg” waiting for a spark to blow up
NATIONALISM
No region was more tense in the years before World War I than the Balkans
While nationalism unified people in the powerful nations, it was dividing people in weakening empires
The Balkans became a “powder keg” waiting for a spark to blow up
Serbia, Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, & Romania broke from the Ottoman Empire to create new nations
Nowhere was that dispute more likely to occur than on the Balkan Peninsula. This mountainous peninsula in the southeastern corner of Europe was home to an assortment of ethnic groups. With a long history of nationalist uprisings and ethnic clashes, the Balkans was known as the “powder keg” of Europe.
By the early 1900s, the Ottoman Empire, which included the Balkan region, was in rapid decline. While some Balkan groups struggled to free themselves from the Ottoman Turks, others already had succeeded in breaking away from their Turkish rulers. These peoples had formed new nations, including Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia.
Nationalism was a powerful force in these countries. Each group longed to extend its borders. Serbia, for example, had a large Slavic population. It hoped to absorb all the Slavs on the Balkan Peninsula. Russia, itself a mostly Slavic nation, supported Serbian nationalism. However, Serbia’s powerful northern neighbor, Austria-Hungary, opposed such an effort. Austria feared that efforts to create a Slavic state would stir rebellion among its Slavic population.
In 1908, Austria annexed, or took over, Bosnia and Herzegovina. These were two Balkan areas with large Slavic populations. Serbian leaders, who had sought to rule these provinces, were outraged. In the years that followed, tensions between Serbia and Austria steadily rose. The Serbs continually vowed to take Bosnia and Herzegovina away from Austria. In response, Austria-Hungary vowed to crush any Serbian effort to undermine its authority in the Balkans
Slavic people in Serbia wanted to unify all Slavs but Austria-Hungary opposed giving up the largely Slavic territories Bosnia & Herzegovina

8. The Outbreak of World War I
Serbians vowed to take Bosnia & Herzegovina from Austria-Hungary
On June 28, 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand & his wife were assassinated by a Serbian terrorist
The assassin Gavrilo Princip

9. The Outbreak of World War I
On July 23, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia: turn over conspirators & allow an investigation…OR…go to war
When Serbia balked at some of the terms, Austria-Hungary declared war on June 28, 1914
Russia had a large population of Slavs & was an ally of Serbia; Russia moved troops to the Austrian border
These events set off a chain reaction that started World War I

10. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia & its ally Russia
World War 1 Begins
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia & its ally Russia
On August 4, 1914, England declared war on Germany & Austria-Hungary
On August 1, 1914, Germany declared war on Russia
On August 3, 1914, Germany declared war on France
Russia mobilized for war to protect Serbia
Italy backed out of its agreement with Germany & Austria-Hungary…
…and joined the Allies
On July 28,1914, Serbia declined the ultimatum
World War I had begun

11. During the war Germany & Austria-Hungary became the Central Powers; They were joined by Bulgaria & the Ottoman Empire
The members of the Triple Entente became known as the Allied Powers and eventually were joined by…

12. From 1870 to 1914, the growth of militarism, alliances, imperialism, & nationalism increased tensions increased among European nations
Nationalism among Slavs in the Balkans led to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914

13. The conflict between Serbia & Austria-Hungary triggered alliances and started World War I

14. Europe at the outbreak of World War I
Europe before the war
Europe at the outbreak of World War I
The Central Powers
Text
The Allied Powers

15. When the war began in August 1914, Europeans were enthusiastic about fighting
French Recruits
German Recruits
Most people anticipated that the war would be over by Christmas 1914….they were wrong

16. When the war began, Germany’s biggest problem was the potential of fighting on two fronts
Germany’s solution was the Schlieffen Plan which involved quickly defeating France in the West…
…then sending troops to the East before Russia was fully mobilized for war

17. But, English & French troops saved Paris at the Battle of the Marne…
The Schlieffen Plan seemed to be working when the German army marched through Belgium & France, within miles of Paris
But, English & French troops saved Paris at the Battle of the Marne…
…Meanwhile, Russia mobilized faster than expected, so Germany had to divert troops from France

18. The fighting between Germany & France was known as the Western Front
Because the Schlieffen Plan failed, the Central Powers were forced to fight a two-front war
The fighting between Germany & France was known as the Western Front
By 1915, the war settled into a stalemate as each side fortified their positions with trenches
The fighting between Germany & Russia was known as the Eastern Front

20. Soldiers going “over the top”

21. The soldiers had very little decent food, and what food they had was often attacked by rats.
These rats were the size of small rabbits and badgers because they had fed on the decomposing bodies of dead soldiers.
Trench Foot

22. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage & win the war
Machine guns

23. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage & win the war
Long-range artillery

24. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage & win the war
Tanks

25. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage & win the war
Airplanes & zeppelins

26. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage & win the war
Flamethrowers & grenade launchers

27. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage & win the war
Poison gas

28. New weapons were invented to try to gain an advantage & win the war
Submarines

29. New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; During World War I, 8
New weapons killed soldiers more effectively; During World War I, 8.5 million soldiers died & 21 million were wounded

30. Fighting on the Western Front slowed to a stalemate as neither side could gain an advantage
During the 10 month Battle of Verdun in 1916, 1 million soldiers were killed or wounded
Another 1 million soldiers were killed or wounded at the Battle of Somme
Despite the deaths, neither the Allies or Central Powers gained an advantage after these battles

31. Millions of Russian soldiers & civilians died during the war
On the Eastern Front, the Russian army was struggling to hold on against the German military
Russian women training for combat
Millions of Russian soldiers & civilians died during the war
Russia was not as industrialized as the rest of Europe & failed to produce enough weapons or food
By 1917, Russia was on the brink of collapse

32. The stalemate on the Western & Eastern Fronts turned World War I into a war of attrition where each side tried to out-produce & outlast the enemy

33. Nations committed to total war to win World War I
Factories were converted to make war equipment
Industrial resources were rationed in order to prioritize military needs
Governments used conscription to draft civilians into the military
Propaganda was used to maintain civilian support for the war
Overseas colonies were used to gain resources or additional soldiers

35. Sikh British Soldiers in India
Turkish Cavalry
Sikh British Soldiers in India
Chinese Soldiers

36. To keep Germany from trading with other nations, Britain used its navy to blockade Europe
German u-boat attacks played a role in bringing the USA into World War I
Germany responded by using unrestricted submarine warfare to attack the British navy & any merchant ships supplying the Allies

37. When World War I began in 1914, the United States remained neutral…
…But, the USA was pulled into the war by 1917
As a neutral nation, the USA was trading with the Allies during the war
Germany’s policy of unrestricted submarine warfare led to attacks on U.S. merchant ships & British passenger ships
President Woodrow Wilson demanded “freedom of the seas” but Germany refused

38. Americans were outraged in May 1915 when a German u-boat sank the British ship Lusitania killing 1,200 people including 128 Americans

39. Americans were outraged
America’s anger with Germany increased in 1917 after the discovery of the Zimmerman Telegram
Germany knew that u-boat attacks would eventually bring the USA into war
Germany proposed that Mexico attack the USA in exchange for the return of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona
Americans were outraged

40. On April 2, 1917, the United States declared war on Germany & entered the war

41. But in November 1917, Russia signed a peace & exited the war
The arrival of millions of American soldiers in 1918 gave a boost the Allies
But in November 1917, Russia signed a peace & exited the war

42. But, the Allies halted the attack & pushed back
By 1918, the Central Powers were running out of supplies & tried a massive attack into France
But, the Allies halted the attack & pushed back
Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire, & Austria-Hungary surrendered in October 1918
On November 11, 1918 Germany agreed to an armistice (ceasefire) & World War I finally came to an end