Causes of World War I. The Alliance System The Triple Alliance Germany, Austria- Hungary and Italy...

Causes of World War ICauses of World War I

The Alliance The Alliance SystemSystem

The Triple AllianceThe Triple Alliance

• Germany, Austria-Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy Hungary and Italy (1882). (1882).

• Defensive allianceDefensive alliance that claimed that that claimed that should France, should France, Russia or any other Russia or any other power attack any power attack any member of the member of the alliance, then all alliance, then all three of them would three of them would stand together.stand together.

The Triple EntenteThe Triple Entente

• France, Russia and France, Russia and Britain to a similar Britain to a similar agreement. (1907). agreement. (1907).

• Traditional RivalsTraditional Rivals• Britain had for a Britain had for a

long time steered long time steered clear of any clear of any alliances, following alliances, following a policy of what it a policy of what it calledcalled ‘Splendid ‘Splendid Isolation’.Isolation’.

Result: A ‘Balance of Result: A ‘Balance of power’?power’?• The politicians of the The politicians of the day believed that the day believed that the existence of these two existence of these two alliances actually alliances actually preserved peace. preserved peace.

• The one alliance The one alliance balanced out the balanced out the other. Both were a other. Both were a deterrent to the deterrent to the outbreak of war as outbreak of war as both groups were both groups were strong. (Congress strong. (Congress System)System)

MilitarismMilitarism

• War is GlorifiedWar is Glorified• Military is Military is

GlorifiedGlorified• Plans drawn up Plans drawn up

for warfor war• Mobilization = Mobilization =

WarWar• IndustrializationIndustrialization

ImperialismImperialism• Intense Intense

competition to competition to gain coloniesgain colonies– New MarketsNew Markets– Raw MaterialsRaw Materials– Status as Global Status as Global

PowerPower– Balance of PowerBalance of Power

NationalismNationalism• Movements for Movements for

Independence Independence among minor among minor nations (Serbs)nations (Serbs)

• Nationalism is an Nationalism is an emotional emotional connection to the connection to the homeland.homeland.