7.2

Historical Foundations and the Outbreak of the Great War

Chancellor Otto von Bismarck's Prediction ( $1888$ ): "The next great European war will probably come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans."
Essential Question: What were the causes and consequences of World War I?
Pre-war Atmosphere: In the years preceding World War I, shifting powers and social/political developments contributed to an escalation of global tensions.
Imperial Competition: European nations sought global dominance by expanding empires and competing for raw material resources in Africa and Asia.
System of Alliances: Mutual alliances created entanglements, committing nations to defense systems that drew them into the conflict if an ally was attacked.
Armament Influence: Military establishments in Germany, Great Britain, and Russia gained immense influence due to competitive arms races.
Immediate Catalyst: A rising wave of nationalism in the Balkans served as the trigger, specifically the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

The Immediate Cause: Assassination in Sarajevo

Characterization of the "Great War": Lasting from $1914$ to $1918$ , it was called the Great War due to its immense scale. No previous conflict involved as many global nations or resulted in such high civilian and military casualties.
Global Significance: The war fundamentally weakened Western European powers and encouraged the growth of nationalism and self-rule appeals in colonies across Asia and Africa.
Date of the Event: June $28$ , $1914$ .
The Assassination: Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie.
The Black Hand: Princip was a member of this organization, which was devoted to ending Austro-Hungarian presence in the Balkans. - The Austro-Hungarian Perspective: The group was classified as a terrorist organization. - The Serbian Perspective: The group was viewed as a nationalist organization protesting foreign control over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Ultimatum and War Declaration: Austria-Hungary sent an ultimatum to Serbia demanding an end to anti-Austrian agitation. When Serbia rejected it, Austria-Hungary declared war on July $28$ , $1914$ .

The Chain Reaction of Declarations and Alliances

Initial Support: Austria-Hungary turned to its ally Germany for military assistance and firepower to punish Serbia.
Slavic Solidarity: Serbia looked to other Slavic countries, primarily Russia, for protection.
Spread of Hostilities ( $August 1914$ ): - August $1$ : Germany declared war on Russia. - August $3$ : Germany declared war on France. - August $4$ : Britain declared war on Germany. - August $6$ : Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia.
Transition to World War: By late August $1914$ , the entrance of Japan into the conflict transformed a regional incident into a true world war.

Long-Term Cause: Militarism

Definition of Militarism: Aggressive military preparedness characterized by the celebration of war and the armed forces.
Investment in Power: Nations proved their strength by investing in their militaries. Great Britain and Germany spent significant funds on armies, navies, and the recruitment of young men.
Industrial Revolution Impact: Technology allowed for the mass-production of weapons, ships, and other military hardware.
Public Attitude: Military culture influenced the public to see war as a "festive competition" or a game rather than a grave matter.
Soldier Quote: British soldier Bill Haine recalled the common sentiment: "Everybody said, 'It'll be over by Christmas.'"

Long-Term Cause: Alliances

Secret Alliances: European nations formed secret groups where members agreed to protect and assist one another if attacked. This system accounts for why Russia and Germany intervened in the Austro-Serbian conflict.
Interconnected Rivalries: Allied countries were also sworn enemies of those in opposing alliances.
The Triple Entente: Comprised of Britain, France, and Russia. All three viewed Germany as a common rival. - French Bitterness: France remained angry over its defeat in the Franco-Prussian War ( $1870$ - $1871$ ) and the resulting loss of Alsace-Lorraine, an industrial region rich in iron ore. - Triple Entente Expansion: After the war began, they were known as the "Allies." They were joined by Italy, Japan, China, the United States, and others. By the war's conclusion, there were $27$ Allies and "Associated Powers."
The Triple Alliance: Initially composed of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
The Central Powers: At the outbreak of war, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria joined Germany and Austria-Hungary. Italy remained neutral until $1915$ , when it switched sides to join the Allies.

Long-Term Cause: Imperialism

Struggle for Domination: The alliance system was driven by bitter rivalry for global domination and wealth generation through overseas colonies.
The "Scramble for Africa": During the late $19$ th century, nations competed for land in Africa to supplement colonies in Asia, the Americas, and the Pacific.
Direct Conflict: Conflicts over colonial claims between European powers exacerbated pre-existing tensions leading up to $1914$ .
Connection Note: The development of imperialism directly relates to the tensions of the early $20$ th century (See Topic $6.2$ for context).

Long-Term Cause: Nationalism and Self-Determination

Basic Definition: Nationalism originates from a feeling of pride in a common national identity.
Challenge to Multi-ethnic Entities: The Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires struggled with nationalist movements among subject populations.
Self-Determination Definition: The idea that peoples of the same ethnicity, language, culture, and political ideals should be united and have the right to form an independent nation-state.
Nationalist Movements: - Serbs: Like Princip, they sought to end Austro-Hungarian domination. - Arabs: They sought independence from the limitations imposed by the Ottoman Empire. - War Contribution: Militant nationalists from these groups fought for the Allies, expanding the war's boundaries.

Global Consequences of the Great War

Shattered Expectations: Europeans expected a century of peace, prosperity, and progress; this optimism was destroyed in $1914$ .
Political Collapse: The war led to the downfall of four major monarchies: Russia, Austria-Hungary, Germany, and the Ottoman Empire.
Redrawing of Maps: The Middle East and Europe were reshapped following the disintegration of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires. - German Losses: Germany lost all overseas colonies to Allied nations. - Mandates: Britain and France took control of former Ottoman provinces: Iraq, Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon.
Total Destructiveness: New technologies made it the deadliest war in history, disrupting economies and leading to famine, genocide, and colonial revolts.
Ideological Shifts: The war facilitated the rise of communism and fascism.
Global Leadership Shift: Power shifted significantly from Europe to the United States.
The Trench Experience: Much of the war was fought in trenches for cover from enemy fire. A photo from July $25$ , $1918$ , near Gommecourt, France, depicts the New Zealand Rifle Brigade preparing meals in cramped trench conditions.
Treaty of Versailles and Reprisals: Germany was forced to take full blame for the war and agree to pay "impossibly large" reparations for losses. Rather than making the world safe for democracy, these terms gave rise to authoritarian regimes and World War II.

Key Terms by Theme

Government - Wars and Rebellions: Great War, Gavrilo Princip.
Government - Leaders: Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Government - Alliances: Triple Entente, Allies, Triple Alliance, Central Powers, Secret Alliances.
Society - Ideologies and Organizations: Black Hand, militarism, self-determination.