1. Six Great Powers (and two not so great)
Pre WWI –
Six Great Powers (and two not so great)

2. Six Great Powers Britain
Superior nation because she had a head start in the industrial revolution
Empire consisted of ¼ of the Earths surface
Naval Supremacy – “Two Power Standard”
Economic superiority – international relations (huge empire)

3. British Empire 1900

4. Six Great Powers Germany
Otto Von Bismark, leader of Prussia united the German states through a series of wars
Policy of “Blut und Eisen” which caused them to defeat France in the Franco-Prussian war
Germany now held a new presence in world affairs

6. Six Great Powers Germany Continued
Key to German foreign policy was to prevent encirclement (avoid a two front war)
Germany was growing industrially
Germany wanted an empire
Built a great army
Schlieffen plan

7. Schlieffen Plan
In 1914, Germany believed war with Russia was extremely likely.  If war broke out, Germany assumed France would also attack as she was both an ally of Russia and keen for revenge for her defeat in the Franco-Prussian war.
If this happened, Germany would face a war on two fronts.  Germany wanted to avoid this at all costs.
Germany planned to defeat France rapidly and then turn to the eastern front for a major offensive on Russia.  This was the basis for the Schlieffen Plan.

8. Six Great Powers Russia
Trying hard to be a modern state
Wanted a warm water port
Huge poorly supplied army

9. Six Great Powers France
Old stable country whose continental superiority was being challenged by Germany
Second largest empire

10. Six Great Powers Austria-Hungary
The “ramshackle” empire
Ethnic problems
Hated Germany, feared Russia

11. Six Great Powers Italy Shortage of everything except people
Tried with little success to get an empire in Africa

12. Not so Great Power Turkey
The “sick man” of Europe
Had been a great European power, now in great decay

13. United States Isolationist: removed from the affairs of Europe
A powerful nation
Busy acquiring a nation (empire) in Central America

14. Japan
In 19th Century she went from being a victim of imperialism to being an imperialist country