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Imperialism
Imperialism is a policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force. Imperialism was one of the main causes of WWI. Britain drastically expanded, and Germany wanted more and more land, which led to invading countries and lands (imperialism). If imperialism had never happened, WWI would have probably never had happened either. -
Nationalism
Nationalism was an intense form of loyalty to one's nation, that cause rivalry and competition between countries. When relating to WWI, Pan-Slavic nationalism is what inspired the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which was the starting cause of WWI. -
Alliances
There were two alliances in WW1. There was the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance. The Triple Entente consisted of Italy, Germany, and Austria-Hungary, While the Triple Entente consisted of Great Britain, France, and Russia. Soon after the war began, Italy switched from the Triple Alliance to the Triple Entente after signing a deal with France. -
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the spark that started the world's first world war. The attack caused outrage, as Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia and eventually declared war upon them. Soon, Russia, France, Belgium, and Great Britain had announced their support of Serbia and declared war on Austria-Hungary and Germany. -
Germany's Blank Check
As reassurance of their loyalty and support for Austria-Hungary, Germany gifted unto them a blank check. This was officially from Kaiser Wilhelm II who wanted Austria to know that his country fully supports them and will help them in any way necessary. Without this pledge from Germany, Austria never could have afforded going to war in the first place. -
WWI Begins
WWI began after the assassination of the Archduke. After the backing of Germany, Austria was prepared for the battle to begin. The very first battle of the war was the Battle of Marne. The battle took place outside of Paris and resulted in a win for the Triple Entente. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The Lusitania was owned by the British, and was shot by a German submarine with a torpedo near Ireland. They were shot without any warning and sunk within 30 minutes into the Celtic Sea. Many lives were lost (1,198 out of 1,959) and this event eventually led to the USA entering the war. This event also turned most of the nation's opinion against Germany. -
Zimmerman Telegram
The Zimmerman Telegram was a secret way of communicating for Germany. It was most known between Germany and Mexico, because Germany was trying to recruit them in the case that the United States decided to enter the war. This way of communicating was eventually intercepted by Britain and decoded. This was one of the reasons the US decided to enter the war (after hearing about the Mexico/Germany alliance). -
Germany's Resumption of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
Unrestricted warfare first appeared in this war (WWI). It started with Germany, who declared that all the areas around the British Isles were a war zone and that any boats invading that area would be attacked. This eventually led to the sinking of the Lusitania, which led to the US entering the war. -
US Entry into the War and its Impact
In the beginning, President Woodrow Wilson declared neutrality in the war for the United States. After the sinking of the Lusitania, that sparked anger into America, yet they still did not enter the war afterwards. They instead entered the war after the intercepting and decoding of the Zimmerman Telegram. The US was vital to the Triple Alliance because they ended up providing industrial resources that the alliance needed. -
Effects of WWI
There were both positive and negative effects of WWI. On the positive side, America's industry and economy had grown strong through the war. Manufacturing and consumerism rose to new heights. Yet, inflation was high leading to reduced wages and unemployment. These issues created unrest, protests, and increased crime. -
Militarism
Militarism, the belief that a country should maintain a strong and aggressive military, created competition between countries. When one country built a large army, another country would notice and make their army even bigger. This led to the arms race. Countries began spending enormous amounts of money on defense, viewing their military leaders as heroes, and creating an environment where war, rather than negotiation, was considered the best way to resolve disputes between countries. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles officially ended the war between Germany and the Allied Forces after six months of negotiation involving over 30 countries. The terms of the agreement outlined what the "postwar world" would look like and laid the blame and heavy fines on Germany. US President Woodrow Wilson contributed greatly to the treaty with his vision for how the nations of the world would move forward after the war. Yet. the treaty was never ratified by the US Congress. -
Dawes Plan and Young Plan
The Dawes Plan was developed by a committee under the leadership of a banker named Charles G. Dawes. It created a payment plan to help Germany pay off the huge fines imposed on them by the Treaty of Versailles. This plan was accepted in August of 1924. Five years later, a new plan was developed called The Young Plan. Under the leadership of Owen D. Young, a committee revised the Dawes Plan to reduce the amount Germany had to pay. The plan went into effect in 1930. -
Great Depression
The Great Depression followed the stock market crash of October 1929. The depression was the worst economic fall that has ever happened. The depression hit industrialized areas, such as North America and Europe, and lasted for ten years. -
Rise of Hitler
Hitler became chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933. This was right after he lost the presidential election of 1932. Becoming chancellor was the key to the Rise of Hitler, as it put him in a high position of power.
