The Great War
ROOTS
Key Questions
• What were the underlying roots of the
animosity that led to the First World War?
• Were there any MAIN causes of the conflict?
• How had the many developments in 19th
century European nationalism contributed to
the war?
The War To End All Wars
• Officially the cause of WWI was the
assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, heir to
the Austrian throne in June 1914, which
caused a chain reaction of events across
Europe but…. In reality the clouds of war had
been gathering for some time.
• "The lamps are going out all over
Europe. We shall not see them lit
again in our time” British Statesman Sir Edward Grey
Militarism
• Building up armed forces, getting ready for
war
• Undue prevalence for military spirit or ideals
• The tendency to regard military efficiency and
strength as the ultimate goal of the state
Alliances
• An agreement between states in which they
pledge to assist each other in security
• The pursuit of common military interests by
several states
• Those in an alliance will sign a treaty which
sets out the obligations each member has to
the other members and the alliance
Imperialism
• The extension of a states power through
conquest and Colonialism, with extending an
empire
• The European powers were competing for the
largest and strongest empires in the pre-WWI
era
Nationalism
• Love of country and a willingness to sacrifice
for it
• Pride is ones own nation
• The nations of Europe wish to expand and are
confident in their abilities due to victories over
non-European nations
Examples
• German: Very strong because of recent
unification
• French: Anti-German due to loss in FrancoPrussian War
• British: Pride in its status of most powerful
empire and desire to maintain status-quo
The Alliances
• There was a secret pact after the Congress of
Vienna that Britain promised to always protect
Belgian neutrality.
Triple Alliance (Central Powers)
• Germany, allies itself with Austria-Hungary
and Italy as a way of isolating France
• Italy will bail in 1915 after seeing the strength
of the allies and wants to get post-war land
gains
• Ottoman Empire
Triple Entente (Allies)
• France-Great Britain-Russia
• Later includes many other nation-states of the
world… Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand
etc.
•
•
•
•
France is scared for its survival
Russia is angry with Germany
France and Russia are already allied
Britain wants to maintain the balance of
power
Balkan Crisis
• Called the “powder-keg” because of the
nationalism in the region
• Numerous newly independent nations vying
for control over the region
Propaganda
• Belief that the war would be a short one (over
by Christmas)
• Each side meant to demonize the other
Arms Race
• Germany built its navy to compete with the
Royal Navy
• Britain continued to build to maintain it’s
naval supremacy (2 power standard)
• France began to build its military to compete
with Germany
Diplomatic Errors
• Miscommunication and misunderstandings
between states through formal channels
according to established rules. Some
diplomats made errors of judgement which
increased tension among nations.
Long Term Planning
• Germany developed the Schlieffen Plan in
1905 to attack France through Belgium
• Were meticulously organized
• Their plain was not flexible, and once enacted,
could not be stopped
• France too had long anticipated war
• All these factors combined into an explosive
mix that set the world on a course for the
Great War
• It truly became a war of nations rather than a
war between armies