World War I/The Great War
Overview
o Lasted 1914-1918
o Referred to as the “Great War” because of the incredible scale of violence and
involvement of nations
o Fundamentally hindered power of Western European nations
o Encouraged growth of nationalism in Europe
Immediate Causes (Powder Keg)
o June 28, 1914 - Gavrila Principe assassinates Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his
wife
o Princip was a member of the Black Hand nationalist organization
Group purpose: Ending Austro-Hungarian presence in Serbia and the
Balkans
Austro-Hungarian Empire sent an ultimatum to Serbia to end all anti-
Austrian activities, Serbia rejected it
o Austro-Hungarian Empire sought military assistance from their German allies
o Serbia requested from fellow Slavic countries, especially Russia
Long-Term Causes of the Great War
o Represented by M.A.I.N.
Militarism:
Aggressive military preparedness that celebrates warfare
Germany and Great Britain (especially) spent tons of money on
naval and army expansion due to bitter rivalry
Alliances:
, Triple Entente (Britain, Russia, France) VS. Triple Alliance
(Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy)
“Secret alliances” formed where other alliance member nations
protected each other if one was targeted
Imperialism:
Western European rivalries for global domination
Western European countries owned colonies in the rest of the
world
Nationalism:
Sense of community based on common ethnicity, language, etc.
Multinational empires contended with nationalist movements
The Schliefen Plan
o To fight a two-front war Germany decided to attack France quickly and go
through Belgium
o Belgium thinks that Germany is declaring war on it, so calls on Britain
o Britain joins the war, and brings colonies
Ottoman Empire
o Called upon when Britain joins the war by Germany
o Germany says that if Ottomans join the war, Germany will give them back their
lost lands (ex. Serbia, Greece, etc)
o Having given this incentive, they join
Italy
o First called upon by Germany, but Italy is afraid of the conflict so backs out
o Called upon by Britain, and Britain promised them land so Italy joins Britain and
betrays Germany
Changes in Warfare
Overview
o Lasted 1914-1918
o Referred to as the “Great War” because of the incredible scale of violence and
involvement of nations
o Fundamentally hindered power of Western European nations
o Encouraged growth of nationalism in Europe
Immediate Causes (Powder Keg)
o June 28, 1914 - Gavrila Principe assassinates Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his
wife
o Princip was a member of the Black Hand nationalist organization
Group purpose: Ending Austro-Hungarian presence in Serbia and the
Balkans
Austro-Hungarian Empire sent an ultimatum to Serbia to end all anti-
Austrian activities, Serbia rejected it
o Austro-Hungarian Empire sought military assistance from their German allies
o Serbia requested from fellow Slavic countries, especially Russia
Long-Term Causes of the Great War
o Represented by M.A.I.N.
Militarism:
Aggressive military preparedness that celebrates warfare
Germany and Great Britain (especially) spent tons of money on
naval and army expansion due to bitter rivalry
Alliances:
, Triple Entente (Britain, Russia, France) VS. Triple Alliance
(Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy)
“Secret alliances” formed where other alliance member nations
protected each other if one was targeted
Imperialism:
Western European rivalries for global domination
Western European countries owned colonies in the rest of the
world
Nationalism:
Sense of community based on common ethnicity, language, etc.
Multinational empires contended with nationalist movements
The Schliefen Plan
o To fight a two-front war Germany decided to attack France quickly and go
through Belgium
o Belgium thinks that Germany is declaring war on it, so calls on Britain
o Britain joins the war, and brings colonies
Ottoman Empire
o Called upon when Britain joins the war by Germany
o Germany says that if Ottomans join the war, Germany will give them back their
lost lands (ex. Serbia, Greece, etc)
o Having given this incentive, they join
Italy
o First called upon by Germany, but Italy is afraid of the conflict so backs out
o Called upon by Britain, and Britain promised them land so Italy joins Britain and
betrays Germany
Changes in Warfare
