Chapter 7- World War I Lesson 1- War in Europe Troubles in Europe
Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated on June 28, 1914
Heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary
Led to World War I
A Rise in Nationalism
Nationalism- a feeling of intense loyalty to a country or group
Encouraged newly united nations to show their power (Italy and Germany)
Also inspired groups of people break away from existing nations
Ethnic groups demanded independent nations of their own
Competing for Empires
European nations competed for colonies in Asia and Africa
Britain and France wanted to expand empires
Germany, Italy, and Russia wanted to build colonial empires
Led to conflict
Military Buildup
Militarism- celebration of military ideals, and a rapid buildup of military power
European nations strengthened their armies and navies
Germany, France, and Russia developed huge armies
Great Britain and Germany built large navies
A Network of Alliances
Alliance system- a system in which countries agree to defend each other
Two major alliances by 1914
Triple Alliance- Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
Triple Entente- Great Britain, France, and Russia
Meant to keep peace by creating a balance of power (an equality of power among different countries that discourages any group from acting aggressively)
A small dispute could lead to a larger war
Balkans had many nationalist and ethnic rivalries
Slavic nationalists wanted to unite all the Slavic peoples in the region
Austria-Hungary vs. Serbia
Slavic people wanted independence from Austria-Hungary
Serbia supported the Slavs
Assassination and War
Franz Ferdinand assassinated by Gavrilo Princip
Princip was a member of a Serbian nationalist group (the Black Hand)
Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the assassination
Made demands on Serbia that were rejected
Declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914
Alliances spread the war
Russia supported Serbia
Germany supported Austria-Hungary and declared war on Russia and France
Germany invaded Belgium
Great Britain declared war on Germany to protect Belgium
A World War Begins
Allied Powers (Great Britain, France, and Russia) against Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire)
Japan joined the Allies
Italy joined the Allies in 1915
The Western Front
Germany invaded Belgium to get to France
Germany wanted to defeat France and then move troops east against Russia
Belgians fought the Germans and gave France and Britain time to react
Germany defeated the Belgians and got to within 15 miles of Paris
Stopped by the British and the French in the Battle of the Marne
Stalemate (a situation in a conflict in which neither side can make progress against the other) for the next three years
Fighting in trenches
“No man’s land” in between with craters and barbed wire
Battle of Verdun was a German offensive
Fighting from February-December 1916
More than 750,000 French and German soldiers died
Battle of the Somme was a British and French offensive