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Nationalism
Nationalism gave citizens excessive confidence in their nation, their governments and their military strength. It assured them that their country was fair, righteous and without blame. -
Militarism
Militarism is a philosophy or system that places great importance on military power. A German Historian who fought in World War 1 defined Militarism as the “domination of the military man over the civilian, an undue preponderance of military demands, an emphasis on military considerations”. -
Allies of World War 1
By 1914, the six major parts of Europe had split into two alliances. Britain, France and Russia were in the Triple Entente, while Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy were in the Triple Alliance. -
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie
Both shot to death by a Bosnian Serb nationalist during a visit to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo. These shooting led to a chain events which leaded World War 1. -
Germany's Blank Check to Austria-Hungary
Germany gave a blank check to punish Serbia and make decisions that would lead to war. It was not an actual check, but it was a commitment by Germany to back up Austria-Hungary in however they chose to deal with Serbia. -
World War 1 Begins
World war 1 was also known as the Great War , it was a global war originating in Europe and lasted from July 28, 1914 to November 14, 1918. More than 70 million military men, including 60 million European were included in one of the largest wars in history. -
Imperalism
Imperialism and imperial rivalry provided both a cause and context for World War I. Imperialism is a system where a powerful nation controls and exploits one or more colonies. -
Sinking of the Lusitania
The ship was identified and torpedoed by the German U-boat U-20 and sank at 14:10 - 14:18 in 18 minutes the ship was completely sunk. The vessel went down 11 miles (18 km) off the Old Head of Kinsale ,Ireland, killing 1,198 and leaving 761 survivors. The sinking turned public opinion in many countries against Germany, contributed to the American entry into World War 1 and became an iconic symbol in military recruiting campaigns of why the war was fought. -
Germany's Resumption of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
Unrestricted submarine warfare was first introduced in World War I in early 1915, when Germany declared the area around the British Isles a war zone, in which all merchant ships, including those from neutral countries, would be attacked by the German navy. -
Zimmermann Telegram
The Zimmermann Telegram was a secret diplomatic communication issued from the German Foreign Office. The proposal was intercepted and decoded by British intelligence. Revelation of the contents enraged American public opinion. -
US Entry into the war and Her Impact on it
The reason the United States entered the First World War was to protect democratic nations from the threat of anti-democratic ones. Wilson quoted Germany’s violation of its pledge to suspend unrestricted submarine warfare in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, as well as its attempts to persuade Mexico into an alliance against the United States, as his reasons for declaring war. -
Effects of World War I
The total number of military and civilian casualties in World War I was more than 38 million: there were over 17 million deaths and 20 million wounded. At the end of WWI, the Treaty of Versailles was signed creating nine new nations:
Finland.
Austria.
Czechoslovakia.
Yugoslavia.
Poland.
Hungary.
Latvia.
Lithuania.
Estonia. -
Treaty of Versailles
Discussed among the Allied powers with little participation by Germany, its 15 parts and 440 articles appointed German boundaries and assigned responsibility for reparations. After strict observance for five years, the French approved the modification of important provisions. Germany agreed to pay reparations under the Dawes Plan and the Young Plan, but those plans were cancelled in 1932, and Hitler’s rise to power and subsequent actions rendered moot the remaining terms of the treaty. -
Rise of Hitler
Adolf Hitler rose to a place of importance in the early years of the party. Being one of the best speakers of the party, he told the other party members to either make him leader of the party or he would never return. He was aided in part by his willingness to use violence in advancing his political objectives and to recruit party members who were willing to do the same. Once in power, the Nazis created a mythology surrounding the rise to power. -
Dawes Plan and Young Plan
The Dawes Plan was an attempt in 1924 to solve the World War I reparations problem that Germany had to pay, which had caused great troubles to international politics following World War I and the Treaty of Versailles.The occupation of the Ruhr industrial area by France and Belgium contributed to the hyperinflation crisis in Germany, partially because of its disabling effect on the German economy. Germany was required to pay 20 billion gold marks, while a final amount was decided upon. -
Great Depression
The specific economic events that took place during the Great Depression have been studied thoroughly: a deflation in asset and commodity prices, dramatic drops in demand and credit, and disruption of trade, ultimately resulting in widespread unemployment (over 13 million people were unemployed by 1932) and hence poverty. The stock market crash of 1929 was not the sole cause of the Great Depression, but it did act to accelerate the global economic collapse of which it was also a symptom.
