IB History of The Americas Review 1

The Road to Global War

Long Term Causes of World War I

• Militarism

• Alliances

• Imperialism

• Nationalism

Militarism

Building weaponery, glorifying the military

Alliances

Agreement to support another country when in war

Imperialism

Extension of country’s power by controlling another nations’ policies and/or economy

Colonies

E.g. The Scramble for Africa

Nationalism

Pride in one’s country

Immediate Cause of World War I

Serbian groups’ assassination of Archduck Franz Ferdinand

The Allies

1) Great Britain

2) Russia

3) France

4) Japan (for few weeks)

5) Italy (joined later)

6) United States

Central Powers

1) Germany

2) Austria-Hungary

3) Bulgaria

4) Ottoman Empire (later)

Treaty of Versailles

Blamed and punished Germany for WWI. Germany had to:

• Take full blame

• Pay reparations

• Disarm and disassemble military

• Give up colonies

The Weimar Republic

Democratic government of Germany post WWI