Unit 12: The road to WW I Causes The Outbreak The Eastern and Western Fronts

Causes Nationalism (2 examples) –Alsace and Lorraine: The French were still very bitter about losing this border region in the Franco-Prussian War –Pan-Slavism –Russians believed that they had to defend their “little Slavic brothers” (EX: Serbia) Imperial Rivalry (Defn.) –Great Britain was threatened by German industrial growth –Crisis in Africa: Britain and France drawn closer together by their common mission of keeping Germany out of Northern Africa

More Causes Militarism: Glorification of the military, Warfare, and armed forces. Preparedness for war. War as a romantic undertaking –Social Darwinism War as a biological necessity –Arms Race: The Kaiser (Wilhelm II) built a navy to rival that of Great Britain

Kaiser Wilhelm II 1890 Kaiser Wilhelm II becomes emperor of Germany –Biography Relatives in Russia and Great Britain –Fired Bismarck for being overly friendly towards Russia

Crisis in the Balkans Beginning in 1875 rebellions against the Ottoman Empire (the “sick man” of Europe) resulted in tensions among the great powers and Russian intervention –1878: Serbia gained independence but the Austrians won the right to occupy Bosnia and Herzegovina (large Serbian populations)

Entangling Alliances Bismarck’s goal after 1871: To be in a “majority of three” 1873: The Three Emperors League (Germany. A-H, and Russia) an alliance against radical movements –After Bismarck is fired Germany loses Russia to France Result: The Triple Entente (GB, Russia,,France) and the Triple Alliance (Germ. Aus-Hung, Italy)

Sarajevo June 28 th 1914 Gavrillo Princep a Serbian nationalist (Black Hand) shot and killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie The Austrians responded by asking Germany for their support –Germany gives them a “blank check” and Austria issues an ultimatum to Serbia (48 hrs) Serbia must end all anti-Austrian activity and allow Austria to run the investigation into the matter