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Nationalism
Rivalry between nations was sparked by the uprising popular European belief that the largest-populating ethnic group should represent a nation. Enkindled by the popular idea of "Survival of the Fittest", international competition further proliferated into the regaining of Alsace-Lorraine and the declared independence of Serbia.The ultimate threat was internationally proclaimed by: industrial trade, abroad army bases (further securement of a nation) and possession of foreign land. -
Imperialism
As an outlet supporting the build up of Nationalism, European countries and the U.S. began competitively searching and attaining new colonies dressed with raw resources to reap the benefits of economic growth. France and Great Britain quickly bought various colonies in Africa and multiple islands in the Asian hemisphere. This prompted Germany and Italy to join the race in an attempt to aquire new colonies. -
Militarism
As tention built up with the competition of nationalism and then with the swelling of army sizes and war-time machinery, a conflit as big as a war was fast-approaching and seemingly inevitable. Germany, the fastest organized country, alone had a swelling two million troops, a large navy, technologically advanced weaponry along with 17 large and prepared war ships. Only France could compare with 1.2 mil troops and 10 Large War ships, but it was still far behind Germany. -
Alliances Form
With the quickly growing war tentions, the huge emboldenment and security of the notion for a pact across Europe became prevalent, alliances were formed. A major alliance included: "The Triple Alliance" which included the central powers -- Germany, Austria-Hungary, along with Italy. The opposing Tri-powered alliance: "The Triple Entente" formed which included: France, Russia, and Great Britain. These ties created a sense of security as well as an obligation to fight as trusted partners. -
The Assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
On this day, the heir to the throne to Austria-Hungary, Archduke Ferdiand, and his wife Sophie were shot. As they were routinely visiting Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, they were assasinated by Gavrilo Princip and other conspirators who were all young Bosnian males of Serbian ethnicity. This significance of Archduke's murder was considered a possible threat by Serbia. It is thought to have been the first spark in the beginning of World War I. -
Germany's Black Check Assurance for Austria-Hungary
About a week after the Archduke's assasination, the Austrian Foreign Ministry sent a memorandum ,to Berlin's Kaiser Wilhelm, which expressed a need to establish a Balkan alliance with Bulgaria -- as it was an ally to powerful Russia. Upon the annoucement to Wilhelm about the assasination by an Austrian abassador to Germany, Wilhelm was pledged Germany's faithful support for Austria's decision with any action taken towards Serbia. This newly spread out agitaion towards Serbia marked a key moment. -
World War 1 Begins
With largely grown armies, extended army collections of weapons, already partnered alliances, along with nationalistic and imperialistic tentions starting to offically boil due to the Ferdinand murder, the ground for war was set. The pledge of allegiance of the German Kaiser to Austria Hungary opened the door for Austria Hungary to send an ultimatum to Serbia which officially started the war. Intimidated by Germany declaring war on Russia and Belgium, Great Britain declared war on Germany. -
Lusitania Sinking
As Great Britain defiled international law, by gradually seizing the shipments of contraband and noncontraband goods to pro-war Germany, great tension quickly commenced throughout Germany's national economy. In spiteful retaliation and desperate need for survive, Germany automatically began to sink allied ships with U-boats. This reality was clearly inaugurated to Great Britain, by the sinking of Great Britain's passenger liner ,The Lusitania, carrier of vital contraband. -
Zimmerman Telegram
In an attempt to address German supply shortages, Germany quickly sent the Zimmerman Telegram in an attempt to form an alliance with Mexico. It requested that Mexico defend Germany by declaring war on the U.S., if the U.S. should declare war on Germany. If this situation came into reality, Germany wrote promising to return the lost Mexican territories of Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. In the end, this note was published by the British, which then fully ignited American participation in the war. -
Germany's Resumption of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
The Sinking of the Lusitania caused for the drowning of 1,201 people with 128 of them being Americans. Upon knowledge of these Americans' death, this immidiately prompted U.S. president Woodrow Wilson to demand an end of German attacks on unarmed ships. German navy commanders, unwilling to accept acting passively to this request, pushed to rebuke this request and began to implore the German government for the permission of unresistricted warfare with a promise of defeating the British Navy. -
United States Entry and Impact on the War
The official entry of the United States into war was declared four days after president Wilson presented it to Congress. This was ignited when Great Britain breached the security of the United State, by publication of the Zimmerman Telegram. When American troops joined the brawl with France against Germany, they eventually ended the German offensive attacks. Overall, the involvement of the American troops gave the allies a key advantage. -
The Effects of World War 1
The entirety of the world was affected through the governing economic and political realm as well as through the social and culture division. The key winning factor was the participation of at least a late 50,000 American solidiers, out of a at least 9 million who died with another 21 million wounded solidiers. -
Treaty of Versailles
As the official petition for a peace agreement to end the war between Germany and the Allied powers; specifically outlined the national boarders for Europe and the MIddle East. It also allowed for the creation of the League of Nations to organize to manage affairs in Europe and sustain peace. Equal in importance, the treaty declared that Germany declare full responsibility for provoking war as well as take the initiave to make reparations for the wartime losses in multiple outlets. -
The Dawes Plan
Formulated and represented by: the U.S.A., UK, Italy, Belgium and France, this plan was created in an attempt to boost the economy of Germany, in attempt to strengthen the opportunity for the full the war-reparation payments. Firstly, it dictated that Belgium and French withdrawl their troops in an effort to avoid conflict. Secondly, it reduced the first annual payment in attempt to give the economy a chance to reboot itself. Thirdly, it called for the Allies supportive management of its funds. -
The Young Plan
Alongside the Dawes plan to redistribute the annual reparation payments required by Germany, the Young Plan sought to reduce the overall debt due. This plan also called for the establishment of a bank specifically created to negotiation with international reparation settlements. This advent was later doomed by the Great Depression, which resulted in the receivers of G.'s payments to delay accepting payments, until the economy was steady in which one final payment would finally be given. -
The Great Depression
With the end of the war, came the need for a reduced amount of agricultural production. Left unsold, crop surplusses indicted failure for farm agencies to pay debts owed to major institutions. Because of this and depletion of products bought by lower-income industrial workers, the economy was fluctuating on the edge of financial decay. Further stricken for recovery, easy credit was made available which was used for (temporary) American investing which then offset the entire European economy. -
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The Great Depression
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The Rise of Hitler
As the worldwide depression harshly affected the economy of Germany, the German people lacked confidence in their weak nation. Adolf Hitler, an extremely influencial political speaker, spoke to the hopeless German middle-working class and 6 million jobless citizens about relevant economic topics such as the treaty of versailles, and also humiliated German leaders supporitve of it. His political party grew greatly overtime as his promises for economic recovery expanded in promise of prosperity.
