• Why do countries go to war?

• Why did the U.S. get involved in these 3 wars?

War of 1812 War with Mexico Spanish-American War

World War I

Things to Know about WW I• The 5 main causes.• The major combatants, at the beginning and

the end.• What brought America into the war.• The technology of the war.• The use of propaganda during the war. • The restrictions placed on civil liberties

during the war.

Causes of WWI – MANIA!Militarism - policy of building up a strong military to prepare for war

Alliances – agreements between nations to provide aid and protect one another

Assassination – of Austrian Archduke Francis Ferdinand

Imperialism – when one country takes over another country economically and politically.

Nationalism – extreme pride in one’s country

(Which 2 of these causes are in conflict with one another?)

Militarism

1910-1914 Increase in Defense Expenditures

France 10%

Britain 13%

Russia 39%

Germany 73%

AlliancesTriple Alliance Triple Entente

Nationalism & Imperialism• Nationalism is a feeling of intense pride in one’s

homeland. Nationalists emphasized their homeland’s culture and interests above other countries and they were willing to go to war to expand their nation at the expense of others.

• Self-determination is another basic idea of nationalism. Self-determination is the idea that people who share a national identity should have their own country and government.

• Imperialism: Great Britain, Germany and France needed foreign markets after the increase in manufacturing caused by the Industrial Revolution

European Conquest of

Africa

The“Spark”

Assassination

Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Duchess Sophie at Sarajevo, Bosnia, on June 28th, 1914.

http://www.loyno.edu/~seduffy/MapImages/Austria-Hungary1867-display.jpg

Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand

was killed in Bosnia by a

Serbian nationalist group called the Black

Hand who believed that

Bosnia should belong to Serbia.

Domino Effect

Austria blamed Serbia for Ferdinand’s death and declared war on Serbia.

Germany pledged their support for Austria -Hungary.

Russia pledged their support for Serbia.

Domino Effect

Germany declares war on Russia.

France pledges their support for Russia.

Germany declares war on France.

Germany invades Belgium on the way to France.

Great Britain supports Belgium and declares war on Germany.

Allied Powers Central Powers

World War IWorld War IWorld War IWorld War I

America and World War I

Why was WWI a Stalemate?

• What’s a stalemate?– Neither side can make a move to win.

• Machine gun. How did this change war? How was it fought before?

• Trench Warfare = “solution”.

• Millions die without gaining ground.

What new weapons were used in WWI?

• Tank

• Poison gas

• Airplane

• Submarine

• Machine gun

• Why these weapons? Why now?

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION!!

• Outcome: The Fighting Ends

The German War MachineGermany faced troubles in 1918

A home front revolution forced the Kaiser into exile

Shortage of soldiers (“Iron Youth” was gone); mutiny in Navy

U.S. entry proved to be too much for them (fresh troops & morale)

Germany Surrenders

November, 1918 Germany asked for an armistice

Nov, 11, 1918 ---> fighting stopped (Armistice Day)

The Allied Powers had won the Great War

An allied blockade of German ports continued until the treaty was signed

Peace Conference

Result = The Treaty of Versailles (June 28, 1919) (Product of compromise)

New independent nations were formed in Europe

Empires were destroyed & ethnic groups were united

A League of Nations was formed to maintain peace and prevent future world wars

Germany was blamed & punished for WWI (war-guilt clause)

Asked to pay huge reparations ($33 billion)

Forced to give up large amounts of land

Massive disarmament left them w/only a defensive army

The Treaty was REJECTED at home, despite Wilson’s efforts

Many feared the “League” was just another alliance

The U.S. never joined; rejected by the U.S. Senate in 1920

Most Americans desired Isolationism

The U.S. made a separate peace treaty with Germany in 1921

Casualties?

• Total troops mobilized by all countries in WW1 65,038,810

• Total troops dead from all countries in WW18,556,315

• Total troops wounded from all countries in WW1 21,219,452

• Total missing or POWs 7,750,945

Result: This treaty planted the seeds of German bitterness after WWI that allowed for Hitler to rise to

power and begin World War II.

What were the results?

• Germany surrendered.

• Allies impose Treaty of Versailles.– Declares Germany guilty for war. – Germany must pay reparations to Allies.

• This sets the stage for WWII!

• League of Nations formed to try to prevent war in the future.