THE CAUSES OF WORLD WAR I

INTRODUCTION
From 1914 to 1918 a great war was fought, leaving 8 million dead and over 30 million wounded or missing. Never before in history had such terrible destruction occurred in one massive struggle that drew into combat people from all nations all round the world. The destruction caused by World War I was due mainly to two factors. 1. The nations at arms: Before the nineteenth century, relatively smaller armies fought battles. This had changed with the French Revolution. The whole of France became a nation at arms as men rallied to fight for France. The idea of huge national armies formed by all able bodied men developed throughout the nineteenth century, allowing wars of the twentieth century to be fought on a massive scale. 2. The Industrial Revolution: With the new technology came new weapons of destruction, such as machine guns, tanks, submarines and aeroplanes. When massive national armies and navies were equipped with the more efficient weapons of industrial society they were capable of waging war on a gigantic and destructive scale. The causes of World War I reach back into the nineteenth century. Long-term factors worked together to form a war climate an atmosphere out of which war was likely to happen. This war climate became more and more tense until war eventually broke out in 1914.

THE GREAT POWERS BEFORE THE WAR GREAT BRITAIN

Britain was in sympathy with people who wished to set up parliamentary government and found little in common with European Kings, who were trying to stop change. Britain, therefore, withdrew from European affairs into splendid isolation. This meant that Britain concentrated on its own affairs within its enormous empire. In 1914 it was considered the worlds leading power.

FRANCE
France was a leading nation on the European continent with a large empire and desired to remain powerful.

GERMANY
Although Germany had become a united country only in 1871, it had rapidly industrialized and had the strongest army in the world. It built an empire, and by 1900 was the major military power on the European continent, ready to challenge Britains naval supremacy

ITALY
Italy had become a nation in 1871. Italy wished to establish an empire and be recognized as a great power.

AUSTRIA
In 1914 Austria were still a large empire, but one that contained many peoples who wanted to break away from Austrian control. The Austrians were determined to keep their empire and were heavily involved in the Balkans.

RUSSIA
In 1914 Russia was still a very large nation ruled by the Tsar. It was still an agrarian nation, though it was beginning to industrialise. Russia supported the Slavic people in the Balkans.

THE UNITED STATES

Throughout the nineteenth century, the United States pursed a policy of isolation; it was determined not to be involved in European wars.

IMPERIALISM
The policy of gaining and holding colonies caused tension among the nations. From 1870 to 1914 they argued over and competed for colonial possessions. Great Britain wanted to own territory from the south to north in Africa so that it could link Cape Town by Cairo by rail. This cut across German and French plans to link their colonial possessions across the width of Africa. Germanys plan to move into the Middle East threatened British

and Russian efforts to gain major influence in the area. Italy, a latecomer to the scramble for colonies, found its

attempt to set up an empire in North Africa was blocked by the French. Constant clashes convinced nations that they needed to form alliances with other great powers for protection and that they had to build large armies to defend their world empires. Imperialism caused division, resentment and warlike attitudes among the great powers. It was a major cause of the war climate.

NATIONALISM
The belief that their nation was the best and if necessary, they should prove it. Nationalism demanded a nations prestige be recognised. France was defeated by Germany in the France-Prussian War 1870-71. French wanted revenge. Italy wanted to increase its power.

Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empire There are different national groups within these empires. These groups wanted to end foreign control and form new nations of their own. The rulers of the empires tried to stop the break down of their empire and violence resulted. German unification upset the European power balance. Russia supported Slav nationalism because it hoped to extent its influence in the Balkans and it wish to gain control of the straits of the Dardanelles. Russia also needed prestige after its defeat by Japan (Russo-Japanese War 1905) Nationalism turned minor issues into major problems. It increased mistrust between nations adding to the war climate.

MILITARISM AND THE ARMS RACE

Relying on the use of military force to further a nations interest. Militarists, therefore, believed that their nation should be well armed and be prepared to use its weapons. Under Bismarck, Germany in particular developed strongly militaristic attitudes. The growth of militarism in rival nations caused widespread fear and led to an arms race as each nation scrambled to match its neighbors strength. Early in the twentieth century Britain and Germany engaged in a race to build the strongest navy.

The naval race

Date 1897 1914 Britain
54 battleships 20 of the most powerful modern battleships plus out-of-date battleships

Germany
14 battleships 13 of the most powerful modern battleships plus outof-date battleships

Germany had the strongest army in Europe; Britain had the worlds most powerful navy. These two thus balanced each other out. When Germany began building up its navy, Britain was forced to spend enormous amounts of money to keep the British fleet superior. The naval race caused bitterness between Germany and British peoples. The nationalistic fervor fueled by fear and suspicion on every side contributed to the growing war climate.

THE ALLIANCE BLOCS

After the formation of the Dual Alliance between France and Russia in 1894 Germany tried to involve Britain in an alliance of friendship which would cancel out the Franco-Russian agreement. However the differences between Germany and Britain were too great. Germanys naval build up, as well as her eagerness to gain colonies forced Britain away from such as alliance and into one with France. Britain had been forced from its traditional policy splendid isolation and in 1904 and the British signed the Entente Cordiale. This was not a formal alliance rather it was an understanding settling the major differences between the two nations. Later, Germanys behaviour only served to strengthen this new bond of Anglo-French friendship. In August 1907, the British signed a similar Entente with the Russians. This understanding between Britain and France Britain and Russia and the Franco-Russian alliance of 1894 was known as the Triple Entente. Europe was now divided into two distinct blocs the Triple Alliance (Germany, AustriaHungary and Italy) and the Triple Entente (France, Russia and Britain). Each agreed to support the other if they were attacked. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Dual Alliance Triple Alliance Franco-Russian Alliance Entente Cordiale Triple Entente Germany and Austria-Hungary (1879) Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy (1882) Russia and France (1885) Britain and France (1904) Britain, France, Russia (1907)

THE CRISES
In the years leading up to the outbreak of war in August 1914, a series of European crises occurred. Each had the effect of heightening the tension and division between the great powers.

1.

The Moroccan Crisis

The first such crises concerned the North African state of Morocco. France was anxious to acquire this independent state and add it to her expanding empire in North Africa. The crises began when the Kaiser announced, on a visit to Morocco in March 1905, that Germany would not tolerate the loss of Morocco independence. The German intention appears to have been to test the strength of the new Anglo-French Entente signed one year earlier. Germany hoped that Britain and France would divide over the issue and so strain the new Entente. In fact the reverse happened. In the face of this German action, Britain set up a conference to discuss the question of Morocco. Held at Algeciras in Spain in January 1906, the conference worked out a solution. France pledged to preserve the independence of Morocco, but the most significant point of the conference was that Anglo-French relations had been strengthened in the face of this German interference. The German attempt to split the newly formed Entente Cordiale had failed.

2.

Bosnia-Herzegovina 1908

The Balkans was mainly under the control of the Turkish Empire. However as Turkish powering this region declined, both Austria-Hungary and Russia attempted to increase their influence. In 1908 Austria-Hungary made Bosnia-Herzegovina part of their empire. Russia became jealous of any increase in Austrian influence. It also enraged the small neighbouring state of Serbia. Serbia had emerged from Turkish rule in 1878, but there was almost constant friction between Serbia and Austria-Hungary, Serbia was demanding the liberation of all Serbs within the Austrian empire. Bosnia-Herzegovina contained a large Serbian population. Russia always pro-Serbia denounced the take over of Bosnia-Herzegovina and there was a possibility that war would have broken out Austria and Russia. However Russia was forced to back down and accept the take over when Germany gave strong support to Austria. War had been averted but it set a framework for future trouble in the Balkans, Russia encouraged Serbia in her anti-Austrian policies, moreover Russia became determined not to be humiliated again by Austria-Hungary or Germany.

3.

The Agadir Crises 1911

In 1911 another crises occurred over Morocco. Believing that the French were once again about to annex Morocco, the German government dispatched a gunboat. The Panther, to patrol off the town of Agadir. Officially the gunboat was there to protect German interests in reality it was to intimidate. Britain responded by preparing part of her navy at nearby Gibraltar. The crises ended in November 1911 when the French and Germans signed an agreement. Germany would remove all objections to a French take over in Morocco in return Germany would receive part of the French Congo in Africa. This is what Germany wanted all along to maintain her great power prestige and gain something as a condition for surrendering her earlier support for independent Morocco.

4.

The Balkans 1912-13

In October 1912 new troubles broke out in the Balkans. Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Serbia formed a common front and drove Turkish power out of Europe. Serbia in the process doubled its size with new areas acquired from Turkey. However to prevent Serbia expanding to the Aegean Sea Austria agreed to the creation of the independent state of Albania which frustrated Serbian wish to have that territory. The constant tension between Austria and Serbia remained.

World War I Begins

On 28 June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand heir to the throne of Austria visited the Bosnia capital Sarajevo. There a Bosnian student Gavrilo Princip who was a member of a Serbian secret society sworn to get rid of Austrian control assassinated him and his wife. The Austrians convinced that the Serbian government had been involved in the assassinations decided to take firm action against Serbia. They were able to do this because Germany promised to support them. 20 July Russia ordered its troops to prepare for war. This was a clear warning that Russia intended to protect Serbia 23 July Austria presented Serbia with an ultimatum of ten demands. The Serbs accepted most of the demands but refused to allow Austrian control over Serbian affairs. At the last moment Germany tried to stop Austria but Austria had decided on war. 28 July Austria declares war on Serbia 31 July Russia ordered full mobilization of its troops. Germany sent an ultimatum to Russia, demanding Russia demobilize its troops. Russia refused. 1 August Germany declares war on Russia 3 August The Germans fearing an attack by France declared war on France so that they could take France quickly and then face Russian troops in the east. 4 August German troops swept into Belgium in order to attack France from the north. Britain sent an ultimatum demanding German withdrawal from Belgium territory. When the Germans refused Britain declared war on Germany. Italy refused to help Germany and Austria, claiming that they had started the war and the alliance states that Italy would not fight Britain.