1. World War I Section 1

2. World War I Section 1
The Great War Begins
Preview
• Starting Points Map: European Alliances and Military Forces
• Main Idea / Reading Focus
• Europe on the Brink of War
• Quick Facts: Causes of World War I
• War Breaks Out
• Fighting in 1914
• Faces of History: Kaiser Wilhelm II
• Map: World War I Battles, 1914

3. World War I Section 1
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4. World War I Section 1
The Great War Begins
Main Idea
Europe in 1914 was on the brink of war. After an assassination,
the nations of Europe were drawn one by one into what would be
called the Great War, or World War I.
Reading Focus
• Why was Europe on the brink of war in 1914?
• Why did war break out?
• What were the results of the fighting in 1914?

5. World War I Section 1
Europe on the Brink of War
Rising tensions in Europe, 1914
• Tensions result of four factors
– Militarism
– Alliances
– Imperialism
– Nationalism

6. World War I Section 1
Europe on the Brink of War
Militarism Alliances
• Massive military buildup in • Nations formed partnerships to
European countries, late 1800s protect against opposing forces
and early 1900s
• Triple Alliance united
• Wanted to protect overseas Germany, Austria-Hungary,
colonies from other nations Italy
• Growing power of armed forces • Great Britain joined France,
left all sides ready to act at first Russia in Triple Entente
sign of trouble
• Believed no one nation would
• Minor disagreements had attack another, because allies
potential to turn to armed would join fight
conflict

7. World War I Section 1
Europe on the Brink of War
Imperialism Nationalism
• Late 1800s and early 1900s • Strong devotion to one’s
saw quest to build empires national group or culture,
increased in late 1800s
• Created rivalry, ill will among
European nations • Led to formation of new
countries, struggles for power
• Germany, France, Russia,
Great Britain vied to become • Most visible in Balkan
great imperial nations Peninsula, southeastern
Europe
• Each did not want others to
gain power • Home to many ethnic groups
trying to break free from
Ottoman Empire

8. World War I Section 1
Europe on the Brink of War
Some of strongest nationalist tensions in
Balkans in Serbia, independent nation
• Serbian leaders wanted to expand borders, unite people
in “greater Serbia”
• Austria-Hungary, powerful empire to north, opposed
expansion
• Feared growth might encourage ethnic groups there to
rebel
• Tensions continued to rise in early 1900s

9. World War I Section 1

10. World War I Section 1
Summarize
Why was Europe on the brink of war in
1914?
Answer(s): rising tensions as result of militarism,
alliances, imperialism, and nationalism

11. World War I Section 1
War Breaks Out
In the midst of the tensions with Serbia, archduke Ferdinand of
Austria-Hungary decided to visit the Bosnian city of Sarajevo.
The Impact Fighting Begins
• Serbian Gavrilo Princip • Germany faced war on two
assassinated archduke, wife fronts: Russia to east, France
• Austria-Hungary declared war to west
on Serbia • Decided to strike France
• Russia prepared to support quickly then move to Russia
Serbia • Began with quick strike into
• Austria-Hungary ally Germany neutral Belgium
saw Russia as threat • Attack on neutral country led
• Germany declared war on Great Britain to declare war on
Russia, ally France Germany

12. World War I Section 1
War Breaks Out
Main players in World War I in place
• Central Powers
– Germany
– Austria-Hungary
• Allied Powers
– Great Britain
– France
– Russia
– Serbia

13. World War I Section 1
Sequence
What events led to the outbreak of World
War I?
Answer(s): Serbian Gavrilo Princip killed Austrian
Archduke Ferdinand and his wife; Germany (an
ally of Austria-Hungary) declared war on Russia
(an ally of Serbia); Germany attacked Belgium;
Great Britain declared war on Germany

14. World War I Section 1
Fighting in 1914
Germany’s plan
• Germany wanted to quickly defeat France, move east to fight Russia
• Great Britain’s declaration of war on Germany doomed its plan
• The Great War became bloody stalemate
Early battles
• Battle of the Frontiers pitted German troops against both French and British
• Both sides suffered heavy losses
• Germany victorious
Russia enters fighting
• Russia attacked German territory from the east
• Russians defeated in Battle of Tannenberg
• Germany distracted from France, Allies turned on German invaders

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Fighting in 1914
Trench warfare begins
• Allied troops drove Germans back, Battle of the Marne,
September 1914
• Retreating Germans dug series of trenches along Aisne
River
– Waited in trenches for Allied attack
– Trenches elaborately constructed, cleverly concealed
• Allies dug trenches of their own
– Major battles for months with little change in positions
– Deadlocked region became known as Western Front

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Summarize
What were the major events of the fighting
in 1914?
Answer(s): Germany advanced through Belgium
to attack France; Russia attacked East Prussia;
Russians crushed in Battle of Tannenberg; British
and French forces regrouped; millions died or
were wounded; trench warfare resulted in a
stalemate