The MAINE Causes of World War One
Militarism
Alliances
Imperialism
Nationalism
Empires
Nationalism
“Development of a Collective State based on
shared ethnic, cultural, and historical identity”
• Second French Republic (1848-1854)
• Unification of Italy (1848-1870)
• Unification of Germany (1848-1871)
• Pan-Slavism versus Pan-Germanism (1848-1914)
• Balkan Crisis (1878-1914)
Nationalism & Empires
The Crimean War (1853-1856)
• Russia versus Ottomans, British,
French, and Italy
• Increased European Influences
on declining Ottoman Empire
• “First Modern War” due to tactical
use of Railways, Telegraph, and
establishment of the Nursing Corps
Franco-Austrian War (1859)
• France & Italy versus
Austria-Hungary
• French efforts to prove it is
still a European Military Power
• Conflict helped to Unify the
Italian States against Austria
Nationalism & Empires
Austro-Prussian War (1866)
• Prussia versus Austria-Hungary
• Orchestrated by Otto Von Bismark
to help unite German States
• Increased German Nationalism in
the region
Franco-Prussian War (1870-71)
• France versus Prussia &
Austria-Hungary
• Orchestrated by Otto Von Bismark
“I knew that a Franco-Prussian War
must take place to Unify Germany”
• Final Unification of Germany (1871)
Nationalism & Empires
Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878)
• Russia & the Balkan States versus Ottoman Empire
• Russian desires to recover lost territories from the Crimean War
• Increased Balkan Nationalism in Bosnia, Serbia, Romania,
Bulgaria, and Montenegro due to decline of the Ottoman Empire
• Pan-Slavic ties were
increased between
Russia and the newly
Independent Balkan
States
• Tension increased
between Russia and
Austria-Hungary over
control of the Balkan
Region
Nationalism & Empires
Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
• Russia had ambitions for expansion into East Asia
• Japan desired to be recognized as an imperial global power
• Russia’s Trans-Siberian railway brought them closer to needed
resources in China
• Japanese interests in Korea
and Manchuria caused the
First Sino-Japanese War
(1894-1895)
• Russian treaty with China
and involvement in the
Triple Intervention in 1902
caused conflict with Japan
• Russian defeat lost them
international esteem and
gained Japan recognition
Empires & Imperialism
“The Political and Economic control of another state’s
territories by Military or Political means”
French Empire (1830 – 1914)
• Invasion of Algeria in 1830
• Intervention in Mexico (1861-67)
• Protectorate of Tunisia (1881)
• Establishment of French IndoChina (1884-85)
Russian Empire (1830 – 1914)
• Russo-Polish War (1830-1831)
• Crimean War (1853-1856)
• Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878)
• Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
Empires & Imperialism
“The Political and Economic control of another state’s
territories by Military or Political means”
British Empire (1830 – 1914)
• British Raj (Imperial control
of India, Burma and Singapore)
• Zulu and Boer Wars gain
control of South Africa
• “The sun never sets on the
British
Berlin Conference (1884-1885)
Empire”
• Influenced by Social Darwinism
and ideas of European Superiority
• New Resources needed for Industry
• France and Great Britain biggest
winners; Germany & Italy
dissatisfied with results
Alliances
“Agreements between two or more countries to advance common
goals and to secure common interests”
• League of Three Emperors (22 Oct 1873)
• Dual Alliance (7 Oct 1879)
• Triple Alliance (20 May 1882)
• Franco-Russian Alliance (4 Jan 1894)
• Triple Intervention (23 Apr 1895)
• Anglo-Japanese Alliance (30 Jan 1902)
• Entente Cordiale (8 Apr 1904)
• Anglo-Russian Entente (31 Aug 1907)
• Triple Entente (1907)
Alliances
“Agreements between two or more countries to advance common
goals and to secure common interests”
DUAL ALLIANCE
The Dual Alliance (7 Oct 1879)
• Designed by Otto Von Bismark
Germany & Austria-Hungary
joined forces to protect
themselves from Russia
• Germany & Austria-Hungary pledge support
to protect each other from possible
Russian aggression over the Balkans
The Triple Alliance (20 May 1882)
• Designed by Otto Von Bismark
• Due to increasing tension between France
& Italy over territories in North Africa
• Due to concerns over aggressive foreign
policies of Russia & Great Britain
TRIPLE ALLIANCE
Germany & Austria-Hungary
made pact with Italy to
prevent Russia alliance
Alliances
“Agreements between two or more countries to advance common
goals and to secure common interests”
FRANCO-RUSSIAN
ALLIANCE
France and Russia
joined forces to protect
themselves from Germany
Franco-Russian Alliance (4 Jan 1894)
• Directly designed to counter Triple Alliance
• Mutual protection against possible German
aggression (East or West)
• Mutual military aid and joint training
The Triple Intervention (23 Apr 1895)
• Protect Russian Interests in China
• German attempts to acquire Pacific
territories
• Distract Russia from German efforts in
Europe
• France obligated due to Russian alliance
TRIPLE
INTERVENTION
French, British & Russian
efforts to end problems of
the Sino-Japanese War
Alliances
“Agreements between two or more countries to advance common
goals and to secure common interests”
ANGLO-JAPANESE
ALLIANCE
British and Japanese
efforts to protect colonial
claims in the Pacific
Anglo-Japanese Alliance (30 Jan 1902)
• British opposition to Russian expansion
in Asia and the Triple Intervention
• British support of Japanese Modernization
• Ease U.S. concerns over Japanese expansion
The Entente Cordiale (8 Apr 1904)
• Great Britain and France
ENTENTE CORDIALE
• Concerns of German Military Expansion
• Great Britain still trying to maintain
their “Splendid Isolation,” while
maintaining a Balance of Power in Europe
An agreement between
France & Britain to try and
maintain balance of power
Alliances
“Agreements between two or more countries to advance common
goals and to secure common interests”
ANGLO-RUSSIAN
ENTENTE
Attempts to reduce rivalry
between Britain & Russia in
Central Asian territories
Anglo-Russian Entente (31 Aug 1907)
• Concerns over Germany & Triple Alliance
• Division of Persia between Russia (North)
and Britain (South West)
• British to retain protectorate status over
Afghanistan
The Triple Entente (By 1908)
• Response to growing German Naval threat
to British Naval Supremacy
• Ended British “Splendid Isolation”
policy of neutrality in European affairs
• Closed the gap between the FrancoRussian & Anglo-Russian Alliances
TRIPLE ENTENTE
Britain, France and Russia
create an alliance to oppose
Germany’s Triple Alliance
FRANCO-RUSSIAN
ALLIANCE
TRIPLE
INTERVENTION
ANGLO-JAPANESE
ALLIANCE
France and Russia
joined forces to protect
themselves from Germany
French, British & Russian
efforts to end problems of
the Sino-Japanese War
British and Japanese
efforts to protect colonial
claims in the Pacific
TRIPLE ALLIANCE
ENTENTE CORDIALE
Germany & Austria-Hungary
made pact with Italy to
prevent Russia alliance
An agreement between
France & Britain to try and
maintain balance of power
DUAL ALLIANCE
TRIPLE ENTENTE
ANGLO-RUSSIAN
ENTENTE
Germany & Austria-Hungary
joined forces to protect
themselves from Russia
Britain, France and Russia
create alliance to oppose
Germany’s Triple Alliance
Attempts to reduce rivalry
between Britain & Russia in
Central Asian territories
Alliances
“Agreements between two or more countries to advance common
goals and to secure common interests”
Militarism
•
Military Forces became independent
entities within each government that
had little to no civilian control
• Military Expenditures Increased Rapidly
• Use of Military
Conscriptions
France since 1790’s
Austria-Hungary 1868
Prussia-Germany 1870
Italy
1873
Russia
1874
Combined Cost Increases for Germany, Italy,
UK, France, Russia, and Austria-Hungary
(Million’s of $$$)
1870
94
1880
130
1890
154
1900
268
1910
289
France = 10% Increase
Britain = 13% Increase
Russia = 39% Increase
Germany = 73% Increase
1914
398
Militarism
•
The Military Arms Race
 Machine Guns
(1884)
 U-Boats
(1886)
 Dreadnoughts
(1905)
 Zeppelin
(1908)
 Airplanes
(1911)
 Armored Tank
(1911)
 Poison Gas
(1914)
 Railway Guns
(1916)
Militarism
Development of the Machine Gun
•
•
•
•
Maxim Machine Gun (1884)
Chauchat Light MG (1908)
Hotchkiss Light MG (1909)
Vickers Machine Gun (1912)
Militarism
Development of the Submarine
German Submarine Forces in
1914 = 24
1915 =
1916 = 54
1917 =
1918 = 142
Total Built =
•
Nordenfelt Submarine
(1886)
•
German U-Boat
(1905)
•
British R-Class
(1917)
WWI
29
133
351
Militarism
Development of the Dreadnought
“Big-Gun Heavy-Armament
Battleships”
• Satsuma (Imperial Japan)
• HMS Dreadnought (Royal Navy)
• USS Michigan (US Navy)
All developed in 1905
Militarism
Development of Aerial Combat
• Zeppelin (Developed in 1908)
• Fokker Airplane (1912)
• Sopwith Pup (1915)
• Sopwith Camel (1917)
Militarism
Development of the Tank
•
British Mark I (Royal Army)
•
German A7V
•
French FT17 (Renault)
(Daimler-Benz)
All Developed by 1916
Militarism
Development of Poison Gas
• Bromide Gas by France (1914)
• Chlorine Gas by Germany (1915)
• Phosgene Gas by France (1916)
• Mustard Gas by Germany (1917)
Gas Mask was invented by an African-American
Inventor named Garrett A. Morgan in 1912, but
was not developed for the war until 1916 in UK
Militarism
Development of the Railway Gun
Early uses of Railway Artillery
• American Civil War
• Franco-Prussian War
• Second Boer War
(1862)
(1870)
(1900)
Lack of large numbers of Heavy Artillery
Caused countries to re-develop idea in WWI
The MAINE Causes of World War One
The Immediate Causes of WWI
Due to Alliance 2 Aug 1914
France pledges
Support to Russia
FRANCE
Great Britain
declared War
on Germany
GREAT
BRITAIN
3 Aug 1914
GERMANY
Entered War in 1916
as Central Power
ITALY
Switched
Sides in 1916
Due to Triple Alliance
Germany declared
Russian Troops
4 Aug 1914
War on Russia
1 Aug 1914
Struggle to
Defend along
Eastern Front
12 Aug 1914
Joined the
Allied Side
in 1917
UNITED STATES
JAPAN 1916
Germany declares
War on France and
Initiates Schlieffin Plan
O
E
TM
TP
O I
MR
AE
N
CHINA 1917
AUSTRIAHUNGARY
Austrian
Arch-Duke
Killed
By Serb
5 Aug 1914
War is
Declared
By
Austria
BOSNIA-SERBIA
RUSSIA
Russian Army
Mobilizes to
29 Jul 1914
Support Serbia