Political Causes Nationalism. –Pride in one’s country. –Each nation felt it was superior to the others. Imperialism. –The creation of empires. –England and France dominated the competition for colonies. Militarism. –Building armies and glorifying war and the military. –The largest armies were held by England and Germany. –England built the first battleship.

H.M.S. Dreadnought

Alliance System System of treaties between nations. If one nation is attacked, its’ allies join in. This system ensured if two nations went to war, the war would quickly expand to include most of Europe. Two big alliances:

Triple Alliance Called this before war started. When WWI began – Central Powers. Germany united with Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire.

Franz Josef William II Enver Pasha

Triple Entente Called this before war started. When WWI began – Allied Powers. Great Britain, France, and Russia allied against Germany.

President Poincare George VNicholas II

Schleiffen Plan Along with the alliance, Germany developed a battle plan called the Schleiffen Plan. –Attack and beat France first, then attack Russia. –Push through Belgium to attack France. –DO NOT divide your army, as it will weaken you. –This plan depended on a fast victory against France.

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Assassination Tensions were high across Europe. –All that was needed was a spark to start a war. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was heir to the Austrian throne. He and his wife Sophie made a trip to Bosnia to inspect their land there. –The people of Sarajevo (capital city) hated the Austrians and wanted to be independent. –Saw Ferdinand as the cause of all their problems.

A Bosnian nationalist (terrorist) organization called the Black Hand decided to kill Ferdinand. –Stationed assassins along Ferdinand’s parade route through Sarajevo. Black Hand member Gavrilo Princip shot Ferdinand in the chest and his pregnant wife Sophie in the stomach. –Both died. –Princip was arrested and executed.

Gavrilo Princip

Austria declared war on Bosnia, an ally of Russia. –Russia declared war on Austria. Germany declared war on Russia. –France and Great Britain declared war on Germany. World War I had begun.