I.
Foundations
A.
Age-old
causes of WWI…
1.
colonial
rivalries
2.
alliances
3.
nationalism
B.
Franco-Prussian
War – 1871 – fallout from the war
C.
Bismarck now wants peace
D.
Bismarck
seeks to…
1.
keep
France isolated
2.
protect
Germany from East (Austria-Hungary and Russia)
E.
To
do these things, he makes a series of alliances. Importantly…
1.
Three
Emperors’ League (Austria-Hungary, Germany, Russia), but Russia later gets mad
at Germany and drops out
2.
Triple Alliance (Germany,
Austria-Hungary, and Italy)
3.
Germany
courts Britain & Russia
F.
Change
à Emperor William II replaces Bismarck
1.
William
II wants tougher stand against Russia
2.
Russia
becomes alienated, eventually sides with France as long as Triple Alliance
exists
G.
Britain’s
support hinged between the two alliances
1.
Alliance
with France and Russia seemed odd
2.
“natural alliance” with Germany upset by...
a.
commerce
rivals
b.
William
II talking about becoming world power
c.
German
naval boom
d.
Boer War…overextended
Britain and anti-British sentiment by Germans
3.
Britain
joins up with France, especially after tactless German bickering over disputed
Morocco
H.
German
perception of an anti-German conspiracy
I.
German
navy affects British People’s Budget (they spent money for military instead of
the people)
II.
The
Spark
A.
Balkan
region is the “powder keg”, assassination sparks war
B.
Balkan
peninsula are nationalist hotbed
1.
After
Congress of Berlin, 1878, three
options existed – rule by Ottoman Turks, rule by Austria-Hungary, independent
(see map page 892)
2.
In
Bosnia (Sarajevo area) – run by Austria-Hungary but contains Serbs
3.
Balkan
Wars fought to boot out Ottomans (they indeed do that)
4.
Resent
now turns toward Austria-Hungary
C.
Archduke
Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary killed by Serbian revolutionaries, June 1914
D.
Domino
Effect
1.
Austria-Hungary
declares war on Serbia
2.
Russia
comes to help Slavic little buddy of Serbia; couldn’t effectively declare war
against A-H only, so Russia goes to war with Germany too
3.
Germany
pledges sull support to A-H; begins das Schlieffen Plan designed to attack France
4.
Germany
goes through poor Belgium, infuriating Britain
5.
France
and Britain declare war against Germany and A-H
6.
It
is on! Like butter on popcorn!