The Outbreak of WWI

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The Outbreak of WWI

• A System of Alliances

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Key Terms

• Congress System
• Kaiser Wilhelm II
• Weltpolitik
• Imperial Overstretch
• Entente Cordial (1904)
• RussoJapanese War (1905)
• AustriaRussian Entente (1906)
• AngloRusso Entente (1907)

• GermanAustrian Alliance (1908)
• Kontinentalpolitik (1911)
• The July Crisis of 1914
• June 28Duke gets shot!
• July 23the ultimatum!
• July 28Austria declares war!
• August 1 3Germany declares war!
• August 4Britain declares war!

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The Congress of Vienna

• After 1815, the Congress of Vienna guaranteed the
  stability of Europe.
• Britain, Prussia, Russia and Austria agreed to
  enforce peace.
• Congressional Europe lasted until 1871 when
  Germany was created.

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National representatives included the Austrian
foreign minister Metternich, Alexander I of
Russia, the British foreign secretary Castlereagh
and military commander Wellington, and the French
politician Talleyrand.
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Kaiser Wilhelm II

• Chancellor of Germany, son of Wilhelm I.
• Believed Germany to be a powerful country. He
  wanted to show this to the world by selling his
  new war inventions, thus competing for world
  market domination.
• This is known as weltpolitik.

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Weltpolitik

• Wilhelms foreign policy would promote a
  competitive Germany to the world through three
  areas
• Nationalism Germanys culture, one of nearly a
  thousand years, would be on show for the world.
• Imperialism Germany was just a capable of
  building an empire like the British through its
  strong economy.
• Survival of the Fittest Wilhelm was
  determined to out-do the British in all areas of
  trade and foreign relations.
• In general, Wilhelm felt threatened by the
  imbalance of power the British held, particularly
  in terms of its navy. Germany was determined to
  pressure the British to join THEM in an arms
  race. Unfortunately (for Wilhelm) the British
  joined with France and Russia.

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Imperial Overstretch

• Imperialism was beginning to take its toll on the
  British empire.
• By 1900, England was near financial ruin.
  Controlling one third of the earth was costing
  the British close to a trillion dollars. This
  becomes known as imperial overstretch.
• Reluctantly, the British begin relinquishing
  control of many of its colonies (ex. Canada,
  Australia) and began to concentrate on better
  relationships with its European neighbours.

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Entente Cordiale (1904)

• The Entente Cordiale, a mutual agreement between
  Britain and France, resolved a number of
  longstanding colonial disputes, and established a
  diplomatic understanding between the two
  countries.
• Openly, the agreement did not support each nation
  militaristically, however there were secret
  articles that ensured each other protection
  against an attack, especially from Germany.

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Entente Cordiale

• Germany saw the signing of this highly publicized
  event as a threat.
• They always wanted to isolate Britain and France,
  and now this was impossible.
• As a result, Germany began to strengthen its Navy.

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RussoJapanese War (19041905)

• While Britain and Germany were expanding in the
  West, Russia was colonizing in the East
  (Manchuria).
• Japan did not like this. They went to war.
• Russias navy was destroyed.
• Japan proved to be the dominant power in the East.

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Russian Expansion

• After Russia lost the War, they needed help to
  rebuild its navy. Tsar Nicholas II believed this
  could be done through expansion into Europe for
  economic stability.
• Russia was mostly interested in the region of the
  Balkans.

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AngloRussian Entente (1907)

• Because of Russias impeding empire in the
  Balkans, Great Britain became afraid that Russia
  might ally with Germany.
• Since Englands Edward VII and Russias Nicholas
  II were cousins, England asked Russia to form an
  alliance that would allow Russia to have access
  to the Eastern Balkans (Serbia) without any
  British interference.

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AustroRussian Entente

• Austria, a monarchy, felt threatened by Russias
  agreement with Britain so they asked Russia to
  focus on expansion in the Eastern Balkans
  (Serbia) and leave the Western Balkans (Bosnia)
  to Austria as they wanted to eliminate
  nationalism there.
• Russia also opposed nationalism so it allied
  itself with Austria, thus forming the
  AustroRussian Entente which would give both
  nations influence in the Balkans.

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Edward VII (7) of England
Nicholas II of Russia
Francis Joseph I of Austria
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Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany
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Germany

• Germany now felt threatened by the alliances.
• On one side, Germany was surrounded by Britain
  and France. On the other, by Russia
  (Encirclement).
• Germany felt that it must gain support. It signs
  an agreement with Austria in 1908.
• Germany then goes to the Ottomans for naval
  support.
• Russia feels threatened so it steps up its navy.
• In 1911, Germany is forced to concentrate its
  foreign policy on affairs at home. It
  restructured its economy to build strong armed
  forces.

• By 1912, Germany becomes the most industrialized
  nation, surpassing Britain.

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and now all thats needed is a spark to start
the war.
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The July Crisis
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June 28, 1914

• On this date, the Austrian heir to the throne,
  Archduke Franz Ferdinand II, was on a goodwill
  mission to Bosnia to try and sway the breakaway
  republic to return to Austria.
• Unfortunately, he was assassinated by a member of
  the Serbian terrorist group the Black Hand,
  Gavrilo Princip.

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• Austria now wants a war with Serbia.
• Germany offered support to Austria and prepared
  for a preventative war, not wanting to be the
  aggressor.
• Other nations did the same.
• Austria sent an ultimatum to Serbia demanding
  retribution for the Dukes assassination before
  July 23, 1914 or they will attack Serbia.
• Serbia believedand Austria fearedRussia would
  help Serbia as this was a violation of the
  AustroRussian Entente.
• July 23 came and went.

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July 28, 1914

• Austria declares war on Serbia.

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• The Austrian Declaration of War
• Vienna28 July 1914
• The Royal Serbian Government not having answered
  in a satisfactory manner the note of July 23,
  1914, presented by the Austro-Hungarian Minister
  at Belgrade, the Imperial and Royal Government
  are themselves compelled to see to the
  safeguarding of their rights and interests, and,
  with this object, to have recourse to force of
  arms.
• Austria-Hungary consequently considers herself
  henceforward in state of war with Serbia.
• Count Berchtold

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August 1, 1914

• Germany declares war on Russia.

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August 3, 1914

• Germany declares war on France, because they are
  encircled and because of the AngloRussian
  Entente.

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August 4, 1914

• Great Britain declares war on Germany, because of
  the EntenteCordiale.
• When Britain enters the war, it truly becomes
  global because all of her colonies had to fight.

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• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vnjINCi9iIrA