The Great War / WWI

how was pre-war a “time of optimism”

• nobel peace prize

• cars

• airplanes

• technology was great

causes of war

1. imperialism

2. nationalism

3. militarism (military supply)

4 Causes / Rise of German State

• Otto Van Bismark (Blood + Iron Speech)

• war + technology

• Prussian landscape painters in France (Alsace Lorraine)

• Alsace - Lorraine / Franco-Prussian War

Franco-Prussian War

• Prussia knew landscape better from the “landscape painters”

• the French surrender quickly

• it was barely even a war

results of Franco-Prussian war

1. formation of Germany

2. Germans get Alsace-Lorraine

why is Bismark concerned

• the French will always be an enemy

• Russian “To Front War”

• must control Russia to avoid getting circled

the Franco-Prussian War lead to…

The Alliance System

Three Emperors League (1873)

alliance between Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary

• they end up breaking up in 1878 (they lasted 5 yrs)

The Dual Alliance (1879)

Germany + Austria-Hungary will always be allies

The Triple Alliance (1882)

Germany, Austria-Hungary, + Italy

• remains intact until war

Reassurance Treaty (1887)

between Russia and Germany

• We won’t you, you don’t attack us

• they both have to resign treaty ever 3 years

what happened to the Reassurance Treaty

• Kaiser Wilhelm ii takes over (he’s young + stupid)

• he fires Bismark and doesn’t resign treaty —> Russia signs/joins France

Triple Entente

• England, France, Russia

• (against) Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary