The Great War
Unit 7, SSWH 16 a
SSWH 16 a
•Identify the causes of
the war: include
Balkan nationalism,
entangling alliances,
and militarism.
Rising Tensions in Europe =
4 Causes to Start World War I
Nationalism (1)
• Growing nationalism leads to
competition among nations
• Nationalism in the Balkans leads
many groups to demand
independence
Imperialism and Militarism (2 & 3)
• Imperialism - Competition for
colonies stirs mistrust among
European nations
• Mutual animosity spurs European
countries to engage in arms race
• Militarism—policy of glorifying
military power, preparing army
Tangled Alliances (4)
• Germany believes France wants revenge
for loss in 1870 Franco-Prussian War
• Otto von Bismarck, German Foreign
Minister, seeks to isolate France with a
series of treaties/alliances:
- signs treaty with Russia in 1881
- forms Triple Alliance—Germany, AustriaHungary, Italy—in 1882
Alliances Threaten Peace
• Kaiser Wilhelm II: German ruler in 1888
• Foreign policy changes in 1890 (Wilhelm
concentrates outside of Europe) with
dismissal of Bismarck
- alliance with Russia dropped; Russia then
allies with France
-efforts to strengthen German navy, alarms
Britain
• Britain, France, Russia form Triple Entente
alliance in 1907
Crisis in the Balkans = Powder Keg
•Many groups in Balkans win
independence during early 1900s
• New nation of Serbia made up largely of
Slavs
• Austria-Hungary annexes Slavic region
Bosnia and Herzegovina (1908)
• Serbia outraged, sees itself as rightful
ruler of Bosnia & Herzegovina
A Shot Rings Throughout Europe (spark
that starts the war)
• June 1914: Serbian rebel, Gavrilo
Princip, killed Archduke Franz
Ferdinand (in Sarajevo), AustroHungarian official.
• Austria declares war on Serbia;
Russia (a Slavic country) comes to
aid of Serbia