The Great War [World War I]: 1914-1918
Europe was characterised politically by increasing nationalism and the rise of
militarism
o Created dissent, competition and conflict over territories in Europe and
in colonies in order to gain as much wealth and resources for one’s
own nation
Emergence of a system of alliances:
o 1882, Triple Alliance [Germany, Hungry-Austria and Italy]
o 1907, Triple Entente [France, Britain and Russia]
Armed camps would help each other if a war was to break out
Avoiding nationalism increased volatility
Rise of militarism aggravated matters
European rivalry, increasing nationalism and the rise of
militarism are the underlying causes of war
Nationalism:
- Aspirations to achieve national autonomy or independence
- Slavic nations (Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Macedonia)
- Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania)
- Norway declared independence from Sweden in 1905, Finland from Russia in 1906, Bulgaria
from Ottoman rule in 1908
- Irish Home Rule demand increased into the 20 th centure
o 1867: first terror attack in London via detonating a bomb
o Increase in nationalism coupled with the struggles for various nations for independence
was aggravated by territorial grab
- 1908: Austria annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina
o Humiliated Russia, Turkey and Serbia
- Two Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913
o Balkan League (Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Montenegro supported by Russia)
initiated war to gain Macedonia from Turkey
Successful: Macedonia and Albania
Albania granted independence, Macedonia was split between Greece, Serbia
and Bulgaria
o June 1913: Serbia, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria fought over Macedonia
August: Bulgaria was defeated, Bulgaria now had a small share of Macedonia
- Heightened tensions, shift in the balance of power which caused a shift in alliances: Russia and
Serbia, Greece and Romania allied with France and Britain, Turkey and Bulgaria gravitated
towards Germany and Austria
Increasing Militarism:
- Introduced conscription
o 1914: Austria-Hungary: 3 million troops, 3 dreadnoughts and 12 battle cruisers
o France: 3,5 million troops and 14 dreadnoughts
o Germany: 8,5 million troops, 24 dreadnoughts and 10 battlecruisers
o Russia: 4,4 million permanent troops, 3,5 million reservists, no battle cruisers or
dreadnoughts
- Increase in military power caused significant amount of influence on political decisions
Europe was characterised politically by increasing nationalism and the rise of
militarism
o Created dissent, competition and conflict over territories in Europe and
in colonies in order to gain as much wealth and resources for one’s
own nation
Emergence of a system of alliances:
o 1882, Triple Alliance [Germany, Hungry-Austria and Italy]
o 1907, Triple Entente [France, Britain and Russia]
Armed camps would help each other if a war was to break out
Avoiding nationalism increased volatility
Rise of militarism aggravated matters
European rivalry, increasing nationalism and the rise of
militarism are the underlying causes of war
Nationalism:
- Aspirations to achieve national autonomy or independence
- Slavic nations (Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Macedonia)
- Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania)
- Norway declared independence from Sweden in 1905, Finland from Russia in 1906, Bulgaria
from Ottoman rule in 1908
- Irish Home Rule demand increased into the 20 th centure
o 1867: first terror attack in London via detonating a bomb
o Increase in nationalism coupled with the struggles for various nations for independence
was aggravated by territorial grab
- 1908: Austria annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina
o Humiliated Russia, Turkey and Serbia
- Two Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913
o Balkan League (Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Montenegro supported by Russia)
initiated war to gain Macedonia from Turkey
Successful: Macedonia and Albania
Albania granted independence, Macedonia was split between Greece, Serbia
and Bulgaria
o June 1913: Serbia, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria fought over Macedonia
August: Bulgaria was defeated, Bulgaria now had a small share of Macedonia
- Heightened tensions, shift in the balance of power which caused a shift in alliances: Russia and
Serbia, Greece and Romania allied with France and Britain, Turkey and Bulgaria gravitated
towards Germany and Austria
Increasing Militarism:
- Introduced conscription
o 1914: Austria-Hungary: 3 million troops, 3 dreadnoughts and 12 battle cruisers
o France: 3,5 million troops and 14 dreadnoughts
o Germany: 8,5 million troops, 24 dreadnoughts and 10 battlecruisers
o Russia: 4,4 million permanent troops, 3,5 million reservists, no battle cruisers or
dreadnoughts
- Increase in military power caused significant amount of influence on political decisions
