1. Chapter 13 Section 1 Marching Toward War
Objective: Analyze the factors & events that led to World War I
Vocabulary: Militarism, Triple Alliance, Kaiser Wilhelm II, & Triple Entente

2. Setting the Stage
The nations of Europe had been largely at peace with one another for nearly 30 years
By 1900, hundreds of peace organizations were active & Europeans believed progress made war a thing of the past
However, less than a decade later a massive war would engulf Europe & spread across the world

3. Rising Tensions in Europe
Nationalism: belief that people should be loyal mainly to their nation
Nationalism served as a unifying force within a country
Intense competition among nations, each seeking to overpower the other
These competitions were over materials, markets, & territories

4. Imperialism
Nations of Europe competed fiercely for colonies in Africa & Asia
As European countries continued to compete for overseas empires, their sense of rivalry & mistrust of one another deepened

5. Militarism
The nations of Europe believed that to be truly great, they needed to have a powerful military
Military experts believed they needed plans to mobilize & organize & move troops in case of a war
Militarism: policy of glorifying military power & keeping a standing army always prepared for war

6. Tangled Alliances
Growing rivalries & mistrust led to the creation of military alliances among the Great Powers
Alliances were meant to keep peace among the Great Powers in Europe but instead it pushed the continent to war
Otto von Bismarck, Prussia’s chancellor, used war to unify Germany
Bismarck formed the Triple Alliance – military alliance between Germany, Austria- Hungary, & Italy in the years preceding World War I

7. Shifting Alliances Threaten Peace
Kaiser Wilhelm II – German emperor
Wilhelm forced Bismarck to resign because he didn’t want to share power with anyone
Wilhelm allowed his treaty with Russia to expire & Russia immeditatly signed an alliance with France
This would make Germany fight a two front war on both its eastern & western boarders

8. Shifting Alliances Threaten Peace
Wilhelm started to make the Germany navy equal to Britain’s fleet
Alarmed, Britain formed an entente “alliance” with France
Triple Entente – military alliance between Great Britain, France, & Russia in the years preceding World War I
With two rival alliances in Europe, a dispute between two rival powers could draw all European nations into war

10. Crisis in the Balkans
With a long history of nationalist uprisings & ethnic clashes, the Balkans was known as the “power keg” of Europe
Serbia hoped to absorb all the Slavic people in the Balkans into one nation
Russia supported Serbian nationalism
Austria-Hungary opposed Serbian nationalism because they feared it would stir rebellion among their Slavic population

11. A Restless Region In 1908, Austria annexed Bosnia & Herzegovina
Serbian leaders who wanted control over this region were outraged
Tensions between Serbian & Austria continued to rise
Austria-Hungary vowed to crush any Serbian effort to undermine its authority in the Balkans

12. A Shot Rings Throughout Europe
Heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand & his wife Sophia visited Bosnia
On June 28, 1914, the royal couple were shot & killed by Serbian member of the Black Hand – Gavrilo Princip
Austria presented Serbia with an ultimatum with numerous demands
Serbia agreed to most of the demands however, Austria rejected Serbia’s offer of negotiation & declared war
Serbia’s ally Russia, mobilized against Austria