2. THE FIRST WORLD WAR: ITS ORIGINS 1871 - 1914

3. EUROPE ON THE VERGE OF WAR 1914 A German view of European relationships in 1914.

4. EUROPE 1860 - 1870 CAVOUR VON BISMARCK ITALY UNITED 1860 GERMANY UNITED 1871

5. GERMANY IN 1871 Kaiser Wilhelm I Otto von Bismarck 1.The creation of a single Germany state had been a long- standing ambition of most German- speaking peoples. This was achieved in 1871, under the leadership of Prussia. 2.France had been the dominant European power before the creation of Germany. France had tried to stop unification by going to war with Prussia in 1870. She was humiliatingly defeated. Germany took the French provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. 3.France wanted revenge. Germany made sure her armed forces were stronger than France’s. THE FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR 1870-1871

6. A UNITED GERMANY - A UNITED EUROPE? How would other European powers react to the uniting of Germany

7. FRANCE IN 1871 A-L La Revenge 1.France had been the dominant power in Europe for almost 200 years. 2.French defeat by Prussia, and the loss of Alsace and Lorraine, was a deep humiliation to French pride. 3.France was determined to have revenge. She began to build up her armed forces. REVOLUTIONS – 1830 +1848

8. RUSSIA IN 1871 Tsar Alexander II TSAR NICHOLAS II (1894-1917 1.Russia had been France’s most powerful continental rival during the Napoleonic Wars. 2.During the 19 th century, Russia turned away from European affairs to concentrate on expansion eastwards into Asia. 3.Russia’s position weakened during the course of the 19 th century. She, largely, remained a peasant society, with little industry, and ruled by repression.

9. AUSTRIA-HUNGARY IN 1871 POPULATION MIX WITHIN THE AUSTRO- HUNGARIAN EMPIRE Franz-Joseph 1.Austria had been the traditional power of Central Europe for several centuries. Like France she, too, went to war with Prussia to prevent German union and she, too, was defeated (in 1869). 2.Austria was a weakening power, and after 1871 her main concern was with extending her influence into the Balkan area of southern Europe. 3.The internal divisions within the Austro-Hungarian Empire itself also became more apparent, and weakened Austria’s position as a European power.

10. GREAT BRITAIN IN 1871 JOHN BULL QUEEN VICTORIA INDUSTRIALISATION, EMPIRE AND TRADE ROYAL NAVY – PROTECTOR OF THE EMPIRE 1.Britain was the first country to ‘industrialise’. This gave Britain a huge advantage, and she became rich and powerful. 2.She possessed the world’s largest empire, ruling over a quarter of the Earth’s territory. 3.Her main concerns were with protecting her empire and developing trade. 4.Britain did not involve itself too in European political and military affairs. She only stepped in when she felt the ‘balance of power’ was threatened.

11. 1888 – A NEW EMPEROR FOR GERMANY KAISER WILHELM II (1888-1918) KAISER WILHELM II HIS PERSONAL AMBITIONS: Kaiser Wilhelm II was obsessed with making Germany not only a European power but a world power. Wilhelm’s actions increased tensions and distrust amongst the European powers. Germany became caught in an arms race on two fronts – military with France, naval with Britain.

12. THE NAVAL RACE 1906-1914 THE GERMAN CHALLENGE TO BRITAIN’S NAVAL SUPREMACY Kaiser Wilhelm and King George V 1.Germany had traditionally enjoyed friendly relations with Great Britain. 2.Wilhelm’s ambitions for a world empire soured relations between Britain and Germany. Germany would need to build a large navy in order to acquire colonies. This led to a ‘Naval Race’ (1906- 1914) 3.By building a strong navy, Germany persuaded Britain into joining with France and Russia in the ‘Triple Entente’.

13. THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALLIANCE SYSTEMS: THE ‘TRIPLE ALLIANCE’ AND THE ‘TRIPLE ENTENTE’.

14. SERBIA 1908-1914 1.Turkey was known as the ‘Sick Man of Europe’. It was losing control over its empire in the Balkans, in southern Europe 2.Both Austria-Hungary and Russia were interested in taking over the Balkan region. 3.By the start of the 20 th century, many Balkan peoples had won their independence from Turkey 4.Serbia was the most powerful of these new nations. It was her wish to unite all Serb peoples. 5.This led to bitter rivalry with Austria-Hungary.

15. ASSASSINATION AT SARAJEVO 28 TH July 1914

16. THE ALLIANCE SYSTEMS GO INTO ACTION ? ?

17. EVENTS AND CAUSES OF WORLD WAR ONE 1871 - UNIFICATION OF GERMANY. DEFEAT OF FRANCE. FRENCH DESIRE FOR REVENGE – RECOVER ALSACE AND LORRAINE MILITARY ‘ARMS RACE’ BEGINS BETWEEN FRANCE AND GERMANY. ARMIES INCREASE IN SIZE. 1888 - WILHELM II BECOMES KAISER. HIS AMBITIONS FOR GERMANY RAISE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE GREAT POWERS. 1879-1907: FORMATION OF THE ALLIANCE SYSTEMS: TRIPLE ALLIANCE: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy. TRIPLE ENTENTE: France, Russia, Great Britain. NAVAL RACE 1906-1914; WILHELM’S AMBITIONS FOR EMPIRE THREATENS BRITAIN’S SECURITY 1908-1914 - RIVALRY IN THE BALKANS BETWEEN SERBIA AND AUSTRIA-HUNGARY JULY 1914 - ASSASSINATION AT SARAJEVO