The World War I Era The Road to War

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The World War I EraThe Road to War
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Causes of World War I

• Imperialism
• Scramble for empires created sharp rivalries
• Militarism
• Military buildup made war more likely
• Military officials became influential in European
  governments
• Nationalism (two forms)
• Great Powers willing to go to war to protect
  empire
• Ethnic minorities within empires wanted
  independence

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• Alliances
• Alliances designed to bolster national security
• Assassination - Archduke Francis Ferdinand
• Bosnia was under the control of the
  Austro-Hungarian Empire
• Murdered by a Serbian terrorist, Gavrilo Princip

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Chain of Events

• July 28, 1914
• Austro-Hungary declared war on Serbia
• July 29th, 1914,
• Russia mobilized military to protect its ethnic
  cousins, Serbians
• August 1, 1914
• Germany, Austrias chief ally, declared war on
  Russia
• August 3, 1914
• France, Russias ally, began to mobilize for war
  against Germany

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• The Schleiffen Plan pulled England into the war
• Plan required Germany to invade Belgium, defeat
  France quickly, to avoid fighting a two front war
• England was an ally of Belgium thus entered the
  war against Germany

Animated Map
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1914 - 1918

• Central Powers
• Austro-Hungarian Empire
• Ottoman Empire
• Germany

• Allied Powers
• Russia
• Serbia
• France
• Great Britain
• Italy
• Romania
• Greece
• United States (April 1917)

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American Public Opinion Neutrality

• Many Americans felt personally involved.
• About 92 million Americans were 1st or 2nd
  generation immigrants
• Most Americans opposed the Central Powers
• Germany undemocratic Kaiser an Autocrat
• Viewed Germans as cold blooded militaristic
• Remained neutral to protect American investment
  overseas

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THE END