World War I
Causes of the War
Nationalism
Imperialism
Causes of
World War I
Alliances
Militarism
Nationalism
• Pride in one’s country/ desire for
independence
• French revenge against Germany over
Alsace and Lorraine
• Pan-Slavism in Eastern Europe
• German pride in military power and
industrial growth
• Serbia’s desire for a south Slav state
Europe - 1914
Imperialism
• Create an empire
• Protect markets for finished goods
– Surplus production
• Protect sources of raw materials
• Protect shipping lanes
• Contain the competition
Militarism
•
•
•
•
•
Military power = prestige
Glorification of war
Arms race among great powers
Influential military leaders
Belief in Social Darwinism
Countries in First
World War
Standing Armies
& Reserves in
August 1914
Mobilized
Forces in
1914-18
Russia
5,971,000
12,000,000
France
4,017,000
8,410,000
975,000
8,905,000
1,251,000
5,615,000
United States
200,000
4,355,000
Japan
800,000
800,000
Serbia
200,000
707,000
Great Britain
Italy
Germany
4,500,000
11,000,000
Austria-Hungary
3,000,000
7,800,000
210,000
2,850,000
Turkey
Alliances
• Agreements among nations to aid each
other if attacked
• Europe divides into two “camps”
• Triple Entente vs. Triple Alliance
• Small disagreements could quickly include
many countries