Causes of WW1
There were many factors that led up to the start of World War I in Europe. A lot of these factors were
rooted in the deep history of the old powers of Europe including Russia, Germany, France, Italy, Austria,
Hungary, and Britain. The real causes of World War I included politics, secret alliances, imperialism, and
nationalistic pride. However, there was one single event, the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of
Austria, which started a chain of events leading to war.
Alliances and Politics
In the years leading up to the war, the nations of Europe were constantly jockeying for power and making
alliances. Germany made an alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy in 1881. These countries all agreed
to protect each other in the event they were attacked by France. However, Italy then went and made a
secret alliance with France saying they would not aide Germany. In response to Germany's alliances,
France and Russia established an alliance in 1892. In 1904, Britain and France signed an agreement. The
Triple Entente was formed between France, Britain, and Russia in 1907. Germany felt that this powerful
alliance surrounding them posed a real threat to their existence and power in the region.
Imperialism
Imperialism is when a country expands its influence and power into a large empire. Some European
countries, such as France and Britain, had created large worldwide empires and had become very rich.
Other European countries, such as Russia and Germany, wanted to create their own vast empires. This
caused competition and conflict between many of the countries throughout the world.
Europe Ready for War
In 1914, the situation in Europe was tense. Secret alliances, internal politics, and the desire to grow
empires had built up distrust and dislike between many of the European powers. All it would take was
one international event and Europe would be at war.
Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, was assassinated in
Sarajevo. The Austria government believed that the assassination was organized by the Serbian
government. They also saw this as an opportunity to regain control of Serbia.
Austria-Hungary Declares War
Austria-Hungary issued a number of harsh demands on Serbia, threatening to invade if Serbia did not
comply. They gave them 48 hours to respond. When Serbia's response fell short of the demands, AustriaHungary declared war on Serbia on July 28.
More Declarations of War
Austria-Hungary had hoped they could quickly take over Serbia and that Serbia's ally, Russia, would not
risk a major war in order to help Serbia. However, they figured wrong. Russia immediately began to
mobilize its troops and prepare for war. In response, Germany, Austria-Hungary's close ally, declared war
on Russia on August 1st. A few days later, Germany declared war on France and invaded Belgium. Britain
then declared war on Germany and World War I had begun.
Who was to blame?
Historians over the years have tried to figure out who was really to blame for starting the war. Many
historians today agree that Germany wanted to start the war. The German leaders felt that they were
being surrounded by enemies (France, Russia) and that war was going to happen eventually. They felt
that the sooner the war occurred, the better chance Germany had to win.
Interesting Facts about the Causes of World War I
Germany quickly attacked France, hoping to conquer France in the west before they had to fight the
Russian army in the east.
Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s the major powers in Europe had been building up their
armies and navies in an arms race.
At the beginning, both sides believed that the war would be over before the end of the year.
The British had the largest empire, which included India, Australia, Canada, and much of Africa.
The United States was neutral at the start of the war and hoped to stay out of the war.
Allied Powers
World War I was fought between two major alliances of countries: the Allied Powers and the Central
Powers. The Allied Powers were largely formed as a defense against the aggression of Germany and the
Central Powers. They were also known as the Entente Powers because they began as an alliance between
France, Britain, and Russia called the Triple Entente.
Countries
 France - Germany declared war on France on August 3, 1914. France had been preparing for war
after Germany and Russia went to war. The majority of the fighting along the Western Front took
place inside of France.
 Britain - Britain entered the war when Germany invaded Belgium. They declared war on Germany
on August 4, 1914. British troops joined French troops on the Western Front to stop the advance
of Germany across Western Europe.
 Russia - The Russian Empire was an early entry into the war. Germany declared war on Russia on
July 31, 1914. They expected that Russia would defend Serbia against the invasion of Serbia by
Germany's ally Austria-Hungary. The Russian Empire also included Poland and Finland. After the
Russian Revolution, Russia left the Allied Powers and signed a peace treaty with Germany on
March 3, 1918.
 United States - The United States tried to remain neutral during the war. However, it entered the
war on the side of the Allied Powers on April 6, 1917 when it declared war on Germany. Around
4,355,000 American troops were mobilized during the war with around 116,000 losing their lives.
Other Allied Countries
Other Allied countries included Japan, Italy, Belgium, Brazil, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, and Serbia.
Central Powers
The Central Powers began as an alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary. Later the Ottoman
Empire and Bulgaria became part of the Central Powers.
Countries
 Germany - Germany had the largest army and was the primary leader of the Central Powers.
Germany's military strategy at the start of the war was called the Schlieffen Plan. This plan called
for the quick takeover of France and Western Europe. Then Germany could concentrate its efforts
on Eastern Europe and Russia.
 Austria-Hungary - World War I essentially began when Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated.
Austria-Hungary blamed the assassination on Serbia and subsequently invaded Serbia setting off a
chain of events that resulted in the war.
 Ottoman Empire - The Ottoman Empire had strong economic ties to Germany and signed a
military alliance with Germany in 1914. The entrance into the war led to the eventual downfall of
the Ottoman Empire and the formation of the country of Turkey in 1923.
 Bulgaria - Bulgaria was the last major country to join the war on the side of the Central Powers in
1915. Bulgaria claimed land held by Serbia and was eager to invade Serbia as part of the war.
Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
The assassination of Austria's Archduke Ferdinand set into motion a series of international events that
led to World War I. This one event is widely considered the most important event in leading up to war.
The Archduke and his wife were shot while riding in their car
Who was Archduke Ferdinand?
Archduke Franz Ferdinand was born in the city of Graz on December 18, 1863. After his cousin and father
died, he became the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His uncle, Franz Joseph, was the current
emperor of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. He was married to Sophie, the Duchess of Hohenberg.
Leading up to the Assassination
In the southern portion of Austria-Hungary was a region called Bosnia. Many of the Bosnians wanted to
have their own country and not be under the rule of Austria-Hungary. The country of Serbia, just south of
the Austria-Hungary border also wanted the freedom of the Bosnians. Serbia was an ally with the
powerful Russian Empire and Austria-Hungary was allied with Germany. When Archduke Ferdinand
announced his trip to Sarajevo, Bosnian nationalists (people who wanted Bosnia to be its own country)
saw their opportunity to strike at the Austrian Empire. With help from the neighboring country of Serbia,
assassins were recruited and trained to kill the Archduke as he traveled through the streets of Sarajevo.
These assassins were members of a terrorist group called the Black Hand.
The Assassination
On June 28, 1914 Franz Ferdinand and his wife were in the third car of a motorcade traveling through
Sarajevo to the Town Hall. The Black Hand had several assassins positioned along the route. On the way
to the Town Hall, the first assassination attempt occurred. A man named Nedeljko Cabrinovic threw a
bomb into the car with the Archduke. However, the bomb bounced off the car and landed under the next
car in the motorcade. The car with the Archduke was able to speed away and make it safely to the Town
Hall. The assassins did not give up, however. On the return trip, the motorcade took a wrong turn. When
the driver began to back up, another assassin named Gavrilo Princip happened to be right next to the car.
He took advantage of this opportunity and began firing at the Archduke. He fired twice, hitting the
Archduke once and his wife Sophie. The crowd jumped on Princip and he was arrested by the police. At
the same time the car sped to the Governor's residence to get medical help. Unfortunately, Sophie was
dead before they arrived and the Archduke died a few minutes later.
Results and Why it Started WW1
The Austria-Hungary government saw the assassination as a direct attack on the country. They believed
that the Serbians had helped the Bosnian terrorists in the attack. They made harsh demands on the
Serbians which the Serbians rejected. At the same time, Russia began to mobilize their army to help
protect Serbia. When Serbia rejected the demands, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. A few days
later, Germany declared war on Russia to help its ally Austria-Hungary. Then France began to mobilize to
help its ally Russia, and Germany followed by declaring war on France. World War I had begun.
Interesting Facts about the Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
When Ferdinand saw that his wife was shot he exclaimed "Sophie! Don't die! Stay alive for the children!"
Both Princip and Cabrinovic tried to kill themselves with cyanide pills, but the pills only made them very
sick.
Between the bomb and the shooting, Ferdinand attended a ceremony given by the Major of Sarajevo at
City Hall.
The Serbian Prime Minister learned of the assassination attempt prior to the attack. He tried to warn the
Austrians, but his warning was so vague that the Austrians did not understand how real the threat was.
Sinking of the Lusitania
The sinking of the Lusitania was an important event in World War I. The death of so many innocent
civilians at the hands of the Germans galvanized American support for entering the war, which eventually
turned the tide in favor of the Allies.
What was the Lusitania?
The Lusitania was a British luxury cruise ship. At one point in 1907, it held the title as the largest ship in
the world. It mostly traveled across the Atlantic Ocean between Britain and the United States carrying
passengers and cargo. The ship was 787 feet long and could carry 3,048 passengers and crew.
Leading up to the Attack
World War I had begun in 1914. On the western front, the British and the French were fighting against
the advancing Germans. New supplies for the war effort were transported using shipping lanes around
Britain. At first, the Germans tried to gain control of the shipping lanes using their navy, but the British
managed to keep the German navy in check. The situation in the waters around Britain changed as the
Germans began to use submarines to attack ships. They called their submarines "Unterseeboots" or
"undersea boats". This name was shortened to U-boats. On February 4, 1915, the Germans declared the
seas around Britain a war zone and said they would attack any Allied ship that entered the region.
The Lusitania Departs
Despite the German warning, the Lusitania departed from New York on May 1, 1915 on its way to
Liverpool, England. The German Embassy even took out an advertisement in many of the US papers
warning people that the ship may be attacked when it entered British waters. It seems that many people
didn't really believe that the Germans would attack a luxury cruise ship because 1,959 people boarded
the ship, including 159 Americans.
The Germans Attack
On May 7, 1915 the Lusitania was approaching the coast of Ireland. The voyage was almost over, but it
had reached its most dangerous point. It was soon spotted by the German u-boat U-20. The u-boat moved
in to attack and fired a torpedo. A lookout on the Lusitania spotted the wake of the torpedo, but it was too
late. The torpedo made a direct hit on the side of the ship and a huge explosion was felt throughout the
ship.
The Lusitania Sinks
The Lusitania immediately began to sink. The captain of the Lusitania, Captain William Turner, ordered
that the ship head for the Irish coast, but it was no use. Within a few minutes the captain gave the order
to abandon ship. Many people had difficulty in getting off the ship because it was tilted so far to the side
and sinking so fast. Within twenty minutes of being struck, the Lusitania had sunk. Of the 1,959 people on
board, only 761 survived and 1,198 were killed.
Results
The killing of so many innocent people by the German u-boat caused outrage in many countries of the
world. Support for the Allies against Germany grew in many countries including the United States, who
later joined the Allies in the war against Germany.
Interesting Facts about the Sinking of the Lusitania
The captain of the Lusitania had shut down one of the ships boilers to save costs. This reduced the speed
of the ship and may have made it more vulnerable to torpedo attack.
The phrase "Remember the Lusitania" was used as a battle cry both by Allied soldiers and on posters
used to recruit new soldiers to the army.
The Germans claimed that sinking the Lusitania was justified in a war zone because its cargo included
ammunition and shell casings to be used in the war.
Of the 159 Americans on board the ship, only 31 survived. Several children who were on board died as
well.
Battle of Tannenberg
The Battle of Tannenberg was one of the first major battles of World War I. It took place from August 23 30 in 1914. It was a resounding victory for the German army and proved that they could defeat larger
armies through superior tactics and training.
Why was it called the Battle of Tannenberg?
The battle actually took place closer to the city of Allenstein than to Tannenberg, but the victorious
German command decided to call it the Battle of Tannenberg for propaganda reasons. During the Middle
Ages the German Teutonic Knights had been defeated at Tannenberg. By naming this victory after the
city, they thought that the people would see this as a return of Germany to power.
Who fought at the Battle of Tannenberg?
The Battle of Tannenberg was fought between the German Eighth Army and the Russian Second Army.
There were around 166,000 German soldiers and 206,000 Russian soldiers.
Who were the leaders on each side?
The leaders of the Russian Army were Alexander Samsonov (commander of the Second Army) and Paul
von Rennenkampf (commander of the First Army). Samsonov killed himself when he realized he had lost
the battle. Rennenkampf was largely responsible for the Russian defeat because he did not coordinate his
movements with Samsonov, leaving Samsonov to fight the Germans alone. The leaders of the German
Army were Paul von Hindenburg, Erich Ludendorff, and Max Hoffman. It was Colonel Max Hoffman who
proposed the risky battle plans that helped the Germans to win the battle.
Leading up to the Battle
Before the battle, the Russian Army was invading eastern Germany with some success. The Second Army
was attacking to the south-east while the First Army attacked to the north. The plan was to encircle and
destroy the German Eighth Army. However, the First Army, under the command of General
Rennenkampf, decided to pause for a few days. This left the Second Army exposed. The Battle The
Germans decided to take all their soldiers and attack the Russian Second Army. This left them very
exposed to an attack from the north, but they decided to take the risk. They used trains to transport
troops very quickly around the region. The Germans concentrated all their forces in one area and
attacked the Russian Second Army on the left flank. The Germans soundly defeated the Russians and soon
the Russian Second Army was in retreat. The Germans pursued the Russian Second Army and completely
destroyed it. Out of the 206,000 Russian soldiers, around 50,000 were killed or wounded. Another
100,000 were taken prisoner.
Results
After defeating the Second Army, the Germans turned to the Russian First Army and were able to drive
them from German lands. Although the Russian Army was not completely defeated, they never entered
German lands again in World War I.
Interesting Facts about the Battle of Tannenberg
The Russians had to use unencrypted radio transmissions to communicate. These were easily intercepted
by the Germans allowing the Germans to know exactly what the Russians were planning.
The Germans were well aware that the two Russian generals did not like each other.
Germany also sent soldiers from the western front to help fight the Russians. This likely contributed to
their failure to take over France.
Although the plan to defeat the Russians was Colonel Hoffmann's, it was Generals Hindenburg and
Ludendorff who were considered heroes by the German press.
The land where the battle was fought is today part of Poland.
First Battle of the Marne
There were two major battles fought by the Marne River near Paris, France. This article discusses the first
battle fought in 1914 between September 5th and the 12th. The Second Battle of the Marne was fought
four years later in 1918 between July 15th and August 6th.
Who fought in the First Battle of the Marne?
The First Battle of the Marne was fought between Germany and the allies of France and Britain. There
were over 1,400,000 German soldiers under the leadership of General Helmuth von Moltke. The French
and British had just over 1,000,000 soldiers including six French armies and one British army. The
French were led by General Joseph Joffre and the British by General John French.
Leading up to the Battle
World War I had begun about one month before the battle. During that time, Germany had been steadily
gaining ground and winning the majority of the battles. They had advanced through Belgium and were
marching through France. The speed of the German attack was all part of a war strategy called the
Schlieffen Plan. Germany hoped to conquer France and Western Europe before the Russians could muster
their army and attack from the east. This way Germany would only have to fight at war on one front at a
time. As the Germans approached Paris, the Allies of Britain and France decided to give an all out effort to
stop the advance of the Germany army. This fight became known as the First Battle of the Marne.
The Battle
It was French General Joseph Joffre who decided that it was time for the Allies to counterattack the
Germans. At first, British leader Sir John French said his men were too tired from the retreat to attack.
However, British war minister, Lord Kitchener, convinced him to join with General Joffre in the attack. As
the Germans advanced, their armies became strung out and a large gap grew between the First and
Second German armies. The Allies took advantage of this gap and charged between the two armies
splitting the German forces. Then they attacked from all sides confusing the Germans. After a few days of
fighting, the Germans were forced to retreat. They retreated back to Aisne River in northern France. Here
they built long lines of trenches and managed to hold off the Allied army. They would hold this position
for the next four years.
Results
The armies on both sides of the First Battle of the Marne suffered heavy casualties. The Allies had around
263,000 soldiers wounded including 81,000 that died. Around 220,000 Germans were injured or killed.
The battle was considered a major victory for the Allies. By holding off the German army, they had forced
Germany to fight the war on two fronts. As the Russians began to attack from the east, German forces had
to be diverted to the east while still trying to hold off the French and the British in the west.
Interesting Facts about the First Battle of the Marne
The French used taxis in Paris to help move troops quickly around the battlefield. These taxis became
known as the "taxis of the Marne" and became a symbol of France's will to win the war.
This was the first major battle where reconnaissance planes were used to discover enemy military
positions. This played a key role in helping the allies position troops and win the battle.
The German forces were exhausted by the time they reached Paris. Some of the soldiers had marched
over 150 miles.
More than two million soldiers fought in the battle with over half a million wounded or killed.
Trench Warfare
Trench warfare is a type of fighting where both sides build deep trenches as a defense against the enemy.
These trenches can stretch for many miles and make it nearly impossible for one side to advance. During
World War I, the western front in France was fought using trench warfare. By the end of 1914, both sides
had built a series of trenches that went from the North Sea and through Belgium and France. As a result,
neither side gained much ground for three and a half years from October 1914 to March of 1918.
How were the trenches built?
The trenches were dug by soldiers. Sometimes the soldiers just dug the trenches straight into the ground.
This method was called entrenching. It was fast, but left the soldiers open to enemy fire while they were
digging. Sometimes they would build the trenches by extending a trench on one end. This method was
called sapping. It was safer, but took longer. The most secret way to build a trench was to make a tunnel
and then remove the roof when the tunnel was complete. Tunneling was the safest method, but also the
most difficult.
No Man's Land
The land between the two enemy trench lines was called "No Man's Land." This land was sometimes
covered with barbed wire and land mines. The enemy trenches were generally around 50 to 250 yards
apart.
What were the trenches like?
The typical trench was dug around twelve feet deep into the ground. There was often an embankment at
the top of the trench and a barbed wire fence. Some trenches were reinforced with wood beams or
sandbags. The bottom of the trench was usually covered with wooden boards called duckboards. The
duckboards were meant to keep the soldiers' feet above the water that would collect at the bottom of the
trench. The trenches weren't dug in one long straight line, but were built as more of a system of trenches.
They were dug in a zigzag pattern and there were many levels of trenches along the lines with paths dug
so soldiers could travel between the levels.
Life in the Trenches
Soldiers generally rotated through three stages of the front. They would spend some time in the front line
trenches, some time in the support trenches, and some time resting. They almost always had some sort of
job to do whether it was repairing the trenches, guard duty, moving supplies, undergoing inspections, or
cleaning their weapons. German trenches were generally better built than those of the Allies
Conditions in the Trenches
The trenches were not nice, clean places. They were actually quite disgusting. There were all sorts of
pests living in the trenches including rats, lice, and frogs. The rats were everywhere and got into the
soldiers' food and ate just about everything, including sleeping soldiers. The lice were also a major
problem. They made the soldiers' itch horribly and caused a disease called Trench Fever. The weather
also contributed to rough conditions in the trenches. Rain caused the trenches to flood and get muddy.
Mud could clog up weapons and make it hard to move in battle. Also, the constant moisture could cause
an infection called Trench Foot that, if untreated, could become so bad that a soldier's feet would have to
be amputated. Cold weather was dangerous, too. Soldiers often lost fingers or toes to frostbite and some
died from exposure in the cold.
Interesting Facts about Trench Warfare
It is estimated that if all the trenches built along the western front were laid end-to-end they would total
over 25,000 miles long.
The trenches needed constant repair or they would erode from the weather and from enemy bombs.
The British said it took 450 men 6 hours to build about 250 meters of a trench system.
Most of the raids took place at night when soldiers could sneak across the "No Mans Land" in the dark.
Each morning the soldiers would all "stand to." This meant that they would stand up and prepare for an
attack as most attacks took place first thing in the morning.
The typical soldier in the trenches was armed with a rifle, bayonet, and a hand grenade.
Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme was one of the largest battles that occurred during World War I. It took place
near the Somme River in France and lasted from July 1 to November 18 in 1916.
Who fought at the Battle of the Somme?
The battle was fought between the Allies (British and French) on one side and the German Empire on the
other. Many of the British soldiers saw their first fighting at the Battle of the Somme. They were part of a
volunteer army called Kitchener's Army because they were recruited by Lord Kitchener. Groups within
the army were called Pal's battalions because the volunteers were guaranteed to be placed in battalions
with their friends and neighbors.
Leading up to the Battle
For nearly two years since the First Battle of the Marne, the two sides had been engaged in trench
warfare along the western front. The front had hardly moved. The British and French were planning a
major offensive attack at the Somme in hopes of breaking the stalemate and pushing the Germans out of
France. However, their plans were changed when the Germans went on the offensive and attacked the
French at the Battle of Verdun. French troops were sent to Verdun to hold off the Germans. The French
also demanded that the British push up the attack at the Somme from August 1st to July 1st in hopes that
German forces would be diverted from Verdun to the Somme.
Artillery Barrage
Before the actual attack, the Allies began by bombarding the German lines. They believed that this
bombardment would destroy the front lines of the German trenches allowing the soldiers to walk in and
take over. They bombarded the Germans constantly for eight straight days with 3,000 guns. They fired
over 1,600,000 shells. However, the Germans were warned of the bombardment. They took shelter and
waited. Little real damage was done to the German fortifications and many of the British shells were duds
and never even exploded.
The Battle
The Allied commanders refused to take warning that the bombardment didn't work. After eight days, on
July 1, 1916, they ordered the attack. Thousands of British soldiers got out of their trenches and began to
advance on the German lines. They were easily gunned down by the Germans. It was the worst day in the
history of British warfare. They suffered around 60,000 casualties including 20,000 dead on that first day
of battle. Despite the heavy casualties, the Allies continued to attack. They didn't let up on the attack until
November 18. During that time they gained around seven miles of territory, but suffered around 623,000
casualties including 423,000 British and 200,000 French. The Germans had around 500,000 casualties.
With over 1,000,000 total casualties on each side, the Battle of the Somme was one of the bloodiest
battles in human history.
Results
Historians today dispute the impact of the battle. Some say that British Commander Haig wasted men and
resources in a flawed battle plan. Others say that he had no choice but to move ahead with the attack in
order to relieve the French at the Battle of Verdun.
Interesting Facts about the Battle of the Somme
Because many men from the same town were grouped together in the British Pal's battalions, when a
battalion was wiped out, often this meant that all the men from a given town in Britain were killed.
The first tanks to engage in battle were at the Battle of the Somme.
The British commanders were so confident the German defenses were destroyed that they loaded down
the attacking soldiers with supplies and ordered them to walk. These soldiers were quickly gunned down.
The Allies lost around 89,000 men per mile of territory gained.
The attack ended in November mostly due to heavy snow in the region.