Ch 21 sec 1

World War I

Reasons for the Great War

1. Extreme nationalism – a devotion to one’s own country

2. Imperialism – several countries wanted large empires

3. Alliances – European nations had agreements to support one another militarily

• Triple Alliance (Central Powers)– Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy– They had common imperialistic goals

• Triple Entente (Allied Powers)– Britain, France, and Russia– Had a common fear of Germany

• The assassination of Austria’s Archduke Ferdinand sparked World War I

New weapons and equipment for WWI

• British developed the tank

• Germans developed poison gas

• Germans used zeppelins. • Later replaced them with airplanes

Airplanes

• “dogfights” –aerial battle between two airplanes

• “aces” – pilots who shot down 5 or more enemy planes

• “the Red Baron” – Germany’s top ace with 80 kills

• Eddie Rickenbacker was America’s most famous ace with 26 kills

• German’s had the submarine.• Also called a U-boat