1. THE FUNDAMENTAL OR MAIN CAUSES FOR THE GREAT WAR
CHAPTER 27 LESSON 1 NOTES –
THE FUNDAMENTAL OR MAIN CAUSES FOR
THE GREAT WAR
(FROM JULY 28, 1914 TO NOVEMBER 11, 1918)

2. a. to glorify or romanticize the idea of war;
b. the desire to demonstrate one’s own armed strength;
c. to prove the theory of Charles Darwin: “survival of the
fittest”
d. armament plants (factories) are
built at
record speed
I. Militarism
e. military and naval competition in
an industrialized arms race

3. Alliances
any combination of countries joining together, even if temporarily, for a
common cause:
Examples:
the Triple Alliance formed by Germany’s chancellor
Bismarck along with
Austria-Hungary, and
Italy with the common goal of isolating
France; later Germany and the
Dual Monarchy will be joined by the
Ottoman Empire and
Bulgaria to form WWI’s warring side known as the
Central Powers

4. Alliances
Triple Entente; formed by Britain, France, and Russia to counter the goal of the Triple Alliance; this entente becomes the basis for the Allied Powers of the Great War

5. b. to counter the Triple Alliance and to better
balance Europe’s power,
Britain,
France, and
Russia formed the
Triple Entente;
this alliance / friendly agreement became the basis for the other warring side known as the
Allied Powers.

6. II. Alliances

7. The practice by which a stronger country dominates a
weaker nation forcing it to become its colony to provide the dominant country with
raw materials and markets
the vast trading empire of
Britain from
Africa to
India to
S.E. Asia;
c. rapid industrialization by
Germany threatens British interests
III. Imperialism

8. Cecil Rhodes – supporter of British imperialism in Africa; but Britain had the least to gain in fighting a world war

9. Imperialism
A practice by which stronger nations control weaker nations forcing them to become a colony to provide the dominant country with raw materials and markets.
The vast British empire from Africa to India to south east Asia
Germany’s rapid industrialization threatens British interests; Germans demand equal respect for own accomplishments

10. IV. Nationalism
Bismarck leads the “two lads” (Alsace & Lorraine) into the German Empire 1871

11. to exhibit loyalty and devotion to one’s own
homeland, customs, and culture;
b. Serbia’s desire to lead the
Slavs on the Balkan Peninsula but it is already under the control of the
Hapsburg Empire;
c. the policy practiced by Russia called
Pan-Slavism that would support Serbia, if threatened;
d. France is determined to recover its people & coal / iron in the region called
Alsace-Lorraine still controlled by Germany since the
Franco-Prussian War in 1870

12. “Ruthlessness means German unity”

13. Bosnia and Herzegovina, angering the Slavs in Serbia;
IMMEDIATE CAUSE FOR THE GREAT WAR OF 1914
1908 – Austria-Hungary annexes the
Balkan provinces,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, angering the
Slavs in Serbia;

14. the Balkan Peninsula becomes the
“powder keg of Europe”

15. The “spark that lights the powder keg” - heir to Austrian throne, archduke Francis Ferdinand,
visiting Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, on a goodwill tour on June 28, 1914, is assassinated by
Gavrilo Princip,
a Black Hand terrorist member from Serbia

16. Black hand member, Gavrilo Princip, upon his arrest
Hapsburg heir Francis Ferdinand and wife Sophie on good will tour in Sarajevo, Bosnia moments before their assassination
G. P.

17. Austria issues a 48-hour [(final set of demands)]
ultimatum to Serbia
Serbia refuses to meet some terms of ultimatum
The 1st declaration of war:
on July 28, 1914: encouraged by
Triple Alliance ally, Kaiser
Wilhelm II [“Kaiser Bill”] of Germany, to punish the Slavs of Serbia, Austria declares war on
Serbia to begin the Great War

18. Czar Nicholas II, King George V, & Kaiser Wilhelm II
Cousins
Czar Nicholas II, King George V, & Kaiser Wilhelm II

19. CHAIN OF EVENTS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE 1ST DECLARATION OF WAR
Russia’s czar, Nicholas II,
in support of Serbian Slavs, (prepares soldiers for war)
mobilizes his troops along the Austrian-German border
Germany declares war on Russia
Triple Entente member, Russia asks its ally,
France, for support so…
Germany declares war on
France; France declares war on
Germany

20. Germany’s Schlieffen Plan >

21. to attack Paris with lightning speed to avoid
fighting a two-front war
(France on the west /
Russia on the east) > quickest attack is through
neutral Belgium to reach Paris;
Belgium forbids Germany to cross its border >
Germany crosses border anyway >
Belgium declares war on Germany
Britain, to protect its proximity to
Belgium, declares war on Germany

22. Triple Entente
Triple Alliance

23. Austria-Hungary; a few months later, the Ottoman Empire and
WW I’S WARRING SIDES:
from the TRIPLE
Alliance comes the
Central Powers =
Germany and
Austria-Hungary; a few months later, the
Ottoman Empire and
Bulgaria join the Central Powers

24. from the TRIPLE
Entente comes the
Allied Powers =
Britain,
France,
Russia; joined by
Italy (hoping to gain Austrian lands after
the Great War is over, the Italians choose to fight
with the Allies instead of the Central Powers,
betraying their commitment to the Triple
Alliance);
others to join the Allies:
Serbia;
Belgium;
Japan; and the
United States but not until 1917