Causes+of+WWI


 * Causes of WWI **




 * Background (Editing by Naomi and Christine) **


 * Germany was extremely imperialistic.
 * Russia wanted a warm-water port.
 * Austria-Hungary wanted to have control over Serbia again.
 * France felt Germany was threatening their continental superiority and they wanted revenge for Alsace-Lorraine which they felt was rightfully theirs.
 * These and other old rivalries and unresolved territory disputes caused high tensions between many of the European nations.


 * The isms **

Imperialism: Many nations wished to create an empire in imitation of the British and French empires. Militarism: Countries also wanted to establish their military strength and dominance. Nationalism: Citizens felt a strong sense of patriotism which granted their governments the ability to wage war with their support.


 * Alliances **


 * There were many secret alliances and treaties formed before the war which caused most of Europe to become involved once the hostilities began.
 * Quick note: The two sides of the war were the Triple Entente, which consisted of France, Britain, Russia, and various other countries (including Canada), and the Triple Alliance which was formed by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
 * There were two types of alliances concerned were conditional and blank check.
 * The conditional alliances were Britain and France, Italy and Germany, and Italy and Austria-Hungary.
 * The blank check alliances were Britain and Belgium (regarding her neutrality), Serbia and Russia, Austria-Hungary and Germany, and Russia and France.


 * The Actual Cause and Steps to War **
 * June 28, 1914 arch duke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated.
 * Austria-Hungary blames Serbia and gives them an unfair ultimatum.
 * Serbia agreed to all but one demand so Austria-Hungary declared war onSerbia.
 * Due to the blank check alliance with Germany,Germany also declared war on Serbia.
 * Russia mobilizes to aid Serbia because of their alliance and are told to stop immediately which they did not do so Germany and Austria-Hungary declare war on Russia.
 * Therefore, Russia's ally, France, also gets pulled into the war.
 * Germany did not want a war on two fronts so she implemented the Schlieffen plan, which involved moving troops through Belgium to get to Paris.
 * This violated Belgium's neutrality and as a result of a 75 year old treaty, Britain entered the war, followed shortly by her colonies.
 * Italy was convinced by Britain to switch sides since she was only allied toGermany conditionally. (Britain made promises toItaly which they did not keep when the was was over.)
 * Britain had a military agreement with Japan so Austria-Hungary declared war on Japan too.
 * The USA supplied the Triple Entente with war materials, but did not enter the war until 1917, after Germany implemented unrestricted submarine warfare and sunk the Lusitania, an American ship.

**References** Ms. Martin and her notes + power points.