World War I: Origins

YOU WILL be able to analyze the causes of WWI

Political Situation: Central Powers
Political Situation: Entente
 Naval Arms Race: Dreadnoughts
Dreadnoughts HMS Dreadnought: The
were the best first British dreadnought
way to project made
power 100
years ago
Naval Arms Race: Necessity vs. Luxury

British German
Political Situation: The Balkans, Austria-
Hungary, and Russia
Balkans have been a mess
for the entirety of the 20th
century
Austria-Hungary annexes
(takes over) Bosnia during
Balkan Wars. Serbia wants it.

Pan Slavism: a political

and cultural movement
originally emphasizing the
cultural ties between the
Slavic peoples but later
associated with Russian
expansionism.
Russia thought of themselves
as protectors of other Slavs.
Why might this be a problem?
The Black Hand
Unification of Death logo
The Black Hand was a Serbian secret society/terrorist
group committed to unifying all South Slavic lands
under Serbian rule. It had hundreds of members,
which included many Serbian military officers

Had ties to various terrorist groups inside of Bosnia.

 Gavrillo Princip, and the Assassination of
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmHxq28440c
The Schlieffen Plan and Plan XVII
Count Alfred von Schlieffen

Quickly invade France through

Belgium, and leave a skeleton
crew to defend against Russia.
Britain guarantees sovereignty
of Belgium.

Plan XVII called for a

simultaneous invasion of
Germany by France and Russia.
France invades through
Southern German, while Russia
invades through East Prussia.
So What? Why War?
Central Powers Entente
June 28. Franz Ferdinand
is assassinated

July 23. Austrian Serbia refuses

ultimatum to Serbia

July 28. Austria- July 30. Russia

Hungary declares mobilizes its
war on Serbia. military reserves.
Cont.
July 31. Germany issues Russia refuses to
ultimatum to Russia to demobilize
demobilize within 12
hours.
August 1. Germany France issues general
declares war on Russia mobilization order.
August 3. Germany
declares war on France.
August 4. Germany Britain declares war on
invades Belgium to Germany because of the
attack France. violation of Belgian
sovereignty