"the first world war was an imperial war."

causes:

• not imperial:

  • archduke franz ferdinand assassinated ‘by serbian independence supporters’

  • much to do with european power politicsn rivalries

    • austria-hungary n germany in tension with france/gb/russia

      • germany pushing a-h not to give in

    • britain pulled in by german invasion of belgium

    • relations w france

    • fear of an over-mighty germany

• imperial:

  • imperial dimension to anglo-german rivalry

    • globally

    • rivalry over ottoman empire

course of the war?

• imperial

  • role of imperial troops

    • primarily india n white dominions

  • empire as source of supplies, loans etc

  • britain declared war on germany on behalf of b empire

  • global dimension to the war

    • naval war around world

    • gallipoli 1915

      • attempt to find a way to defeat turkey n weaken germany

      • anzac corps played large role in the landings n battles

      • anzac took much credit from british, tension between WD soldiers n british

      • british n co failed, used as evidence for ‘the old country was in decline’

      • anzac = australian n new zealand army corps

    • mesopotamia (iraq)

    • palestine

  • iconic battles:

    • vimy ridge

      • canada troops led, created individual country representation

• non-imperial

  • major focus of war for gb was the western front ie france n belgium