Causes of World War One

Although it was the assassination of the Austrian archduke, Franz Ferdinand that led to the outbreak of world war one in August 1914, the actual causes of the war were more complicated and not confined to a single cause.

Alliances
An alliance is an agreement made between two or more countries to give each other help if it is needed. When an alliance is signed, those countries become known as Allies. A number of alliances had been signed b countries between the ears 1!"9 and 1914. #hese were important because the meant that some countries had no option but to declare war if one of their allies declared war first.

Imperialism
$mperialism is when a countr takes over new lands or countries and makes them sub%ect to their rule. & 19'' the &ritish (mpire e)tended over five continents and France had control of large areas of Africa. #he amount of lands *owned* b &ritain and France increased the rivalr with +erman who had entered the scramble to ac,uire colonies late and onl had small areas of Africa.

-i nk . &ritish &lue . French /ed . +erman

Militarism
0ilitarism means that the arm and militar forces are given a high profile b the government. #he growing (uropean divide had led to an arms race between the main countries. #he armies of both France and +erman had more than doubled between 1!"' and 1914 and there was fierce competition between &ritain and +erman for master of the seas. #he &ritish had introduced the *1readnought*, an effective battleship, in 19'2. #he +ermans soon followed suit introducing their own battleships. #he +erman, 3on 4chlieffen also drew up a plan of action that involved attacking France through &elgium if /ussia made an attack on +erman .

Nationalism
5ationalism means being a strong supporter of the rights and interests of one*s countr . #he 6ongress of 3ienna, held after the 5apoleonic wars left both +erman and $tal as divided states. $t was nationalism the re7unification of $tal in 1!21 and +erman in 1!"1. France was angr because the settlement at the end of the Franco7-russian war had given Alsace78orraine to +erman . 8arge areas of both Austria79ungar and 4erbia were home to differing nationalist groups, all of whom wanted freedom from the states in which the lived.

Crises
#he 0oroccan 6risis 7 $n 19'4 0orocco had been given to France b &ritain, but the 0oroccans wanted independence and were supported b +erman . War was avoided, but in 1911, the +ermans were again protesting against French possession of 0orocco. &ritain supported France and +erman was persuaded to back down for part of French 6ongo. #he &osnian 6risis 7 $n 19'!, Austria79ungar took over &osnia. #his angered 4erbians who felt the province should be theirs. 4erbia threatened Austria79ungar with war, /ussia, allied to 4erbia, mobilised its forces. +erman , allied to Austria79ungar mobilised its forces and prepared to threaten /ussia. War was avoided when /ussia backed down. $n 1911 and 191: there was war in the &alkans when the &alkan states drove #urke out of the area. #he states then fought each other over which area should belong to which state. Austria79ungar intervened and forced 4erbia to give up land. #ension between 4erbia and Austria79ungar was high.

Activities Causes of WW1 Level 4 1. What is meant b the term alliance; :. Which countries were allied b the #riple Alliance; <. Which countries were allied b the #riple (ntente; 4. Wh was +erman anno ed b $mperialism; =. Which armies had increased in size between 1!"' and 1914; 2. 1escribe the 4chlieffen -lan. ". Wh were the two crises important factors; Levels 5 and 6 1. Which countries were bound to each other b which alliance; :. 9ow did imperialism contribute towards +erman >s increasing anger with &ritain and France; <. Wh was nationalism an important factor; 4. 1escribe the part pla ed b +erman in increasing (uropean militarism. =. What links were there between the two crises and? a. Alliances b. $mperialism c. 0ilitarism d. 5ationalism