MANIA Amy Selvaggio

M ilitarism A lliances N ationalism I mperialism A ssassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Nationalism Was a unifying force for people within a country, but… Created a fierce competition between different countries: – Germany – Austria-Hungary – Great Britain – Russia – Italy – France

A lot of this competition came from the need for materials and trade markets caused by imperialism For example: Germany was challenging Great Britain for industrial power. Industrialization + Nationalism = Imperialism We’re #1 Cherio!

Imperialism + Nationalism = fighting over land – France lost land to Germany in a war – Russia and Aus.-Hun. Duke it out to dominate Balkans – Nationalist groups in the Balkans begin to demand freedom

Militarism The competition caused by nationalism will eventually lead to a weapons race Great power = great military – By 1914 all great powers (except Britain) have a large armies (Britain had kick-butt Navy) – They also developed plans for mobilization: quick organization and movement of army

Close proximity causes a chain reaction. If one country built up its army, so did the neighbors

Alliances As early as 1870s, Europe’s great powers were forming alliances Alliances were designed to keep the peace, but actually pushed Europe into war. Let’s begin with Germany…

Because of the land that France lost to Germany, Otto von Bismarck (leader of Germany’s gov.) saw France as a threat. Germany’s goal was to isolate France. – 1879: Dual alliance w/ Aus.-Hun. – 1882: Triple alliance : Germany, Aus.-Hun., Italy – 1887: Treaty w/ Russia

There was a flaw in the alliance system: Though Bismarck wanted to keep the peace in Europe, he and others knew that the alliances were unstable. Many countries tied together because of their loyalty to another country were actually enemies. – For example: Russia and A-H were rivals, competing for control of the Balkans.

Bismarck Gets the Boot In 1890, Kaiser (King) Wilhelm II decided that he didn’t want to share power, so forces Bismarck to resign. – He’s very militaristic – 1890: allows treaty w/ Russia to expire

Russia decides to ally with France in 1892 and again in 1894 Now, if anything happened, Germany would have to fight a two-front war

Germany gets jealous of Great Britain, so begins to build up their colonies and their Navy GB gets nervous & expands their Naval fleet – 1904: GB forms entente with France – 1907: GB forms entente with France & Russia- This was known as the triple entente This did not mean that GB had to help them in a fight, but that they would not fight against them.

By 1907: Triple Alliance Germany Austria Hungary Italy Triple Entente Great Britain France Russia

Balkans: The Powder Keg of Europe By 1900, the Ottoman Empire was falling apart Many Balkan regions once under Ottoman control separated and formed new nations: – Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Romania (The ethnic and linguistic base of these nations was Slavic)

Russia (which had a major Slavic population) supported Serbian nationalism A-H felt threatened Both Russia and A-H hoped to fill the Leadership role that was left open by the collapse of the Ottoman Emp.

1908: A-H annexes Bosnia Herzegovina Bos. Herz. Has a large Slavic population Their neighbor, Serbia, is outraged (They also have large Slavic population).

Russia offers to support Bos. Herz. but is not prepared for war Germany backs A-H, Russia & Serbia back down Serbia gains more territory by 1914 and is eager to take Bos. Herz. A-H vows retaliation if Serbs try to take away power

The Spark Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the Austro- Hungarian throne June 28, 1914 he and his wife, Sophia visited Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia.

Both Ferdinand and his wife were shot by a Serbian nationalist at point blank range

Gavrilo Princip, 19 yo Belonged to a nationalist group, The Black Hand wanted Bosnia to join Serbia. They thought that assassinating the Archduke would start a war which would lead to uniting Serbia.

Austria-Hungary believed that the Serbian gov’t was behind the assassination. Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany pledges his support to A-H A-H issues an ultimatum to allow AH to enter Serbia to investigate. Serbia rejects the ultimatum.

Europe at War A-H declares war against Serbia on July 28, The same day, Russia mobilized troops to the A-H border. GB, Italy, & Germany urge A-H and Russia to negotiate, but it’s too late.

Because of the Alliance System, Europe would be plunged into the largest war yet.