WWI Flashcards
What is the final cause of WWI?
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Serbians
Franz Ferdinand
Archduke of Austria-Hungary; Assassinated during his visit to Sarajevo
Cause of assassination
Serbian nationalists hated Ferdinand and wanted to be incorporated into Serbia instead of Austria-Hungary
Who assassinated Ferdinand?
Gavrilo Princip - Bosnian Serb
Government of Austria-Hungary after Ferdinand
Austria took control; Blamed Serbian government for assassination -> Demanded reparations
First declaration of war in WWI
Caused by Serbian gov refusing terms of Austrians -> Austria declared war on Serbia
Conflict between Austria + Serbia
Led to European warfare -> Global warfare
Cause for Global warefare
Conflict between Austria + Serbia + nationalist aspirations + international rivalries + alliance system
Allies and the Associated Powers
28 nations who fought the Central Powers
Central Powers
Coalition between Germany + Austria-Hungary + Ottoman Empire + Bulgaria
The Great War
WWI; 1st total war in history; Scale + casualties + geographic extent (men + women + children all involved) exceeded all previous wars;
Governments during the Great War
Mobilized all available human + material resources
Industrialization during the Great War
Enemies targeted factories + their workers; Bloodiest organized violence
Economic results after Great War
Public debts + inflation rose rapidly; International economy shifted power from Europe to US
Political results after Great War
Redraw European boundaries; Fall of 4 dynasties + empires; Creation of 9 new nations; Caused Bolshevik Revolution; International realignment of power - undermined Western powers
Fall of 4 Great Powers
Ottoman + Russian + Austro-Hungarian + German
Main causes of the Great War
Intense nationalism (national ambitions + ethnic resentment); Economic interests; Colonial rivalries; Power balance; Foreign policies; Alignment
Self-determination
Idea that people with same ethnic origins + language + political ideals had the right to form sovereign states
Powers that dominated European affairs
Ignored / opposed self-determination -> Denied autonomy to Germans + Italians + Belgians
Nationalistic affairs
Belgians gained independence from Netherlands -> Unification of Italy + Germany
Nationalism in Eastern Europe + Balkans
Unresolved; Threatened multinational empires
Economic rivalry in Europe
Industrial Europe fought for markets; Tariff wars; Britain vs Germany economic rivalry
Britain vs Germany (Economy)
Germany’s rapid industrialization threatened Britain; Global industrial output of Britain (32% → 14%) while Germany (13% → 14%)
Britain vs Germany (Naval)
Both believed must need naval power to protect merchants + control seas in war time; Germany built fleet → undermines Britain naval control; Britain made dreadnoughts
Dreadnoughts
Warship with steam turbines → high speed (Britain wanted to retain naval superiority - not discourage Germans)
