The Long-Term Causes of War

The World at War

Imperialism

• Competition for colonies
• Jingoism
• Germany’s Place in the Sun

The Alliance System

• Triple Alliance (1882)
  • Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
  • Italy & France (1902)—Betrayal
• Triple Entente (1894-1907)
  • France & Russia (1894)
  • France & England (1904)
  • England & Russia (1907)

Militarism

• Karl von Clausewitz (1780-1831)
  • War as “the continuation of politics by other means.”
  • Decisive military engagements to achieve political goals.
• Military Universities
• War Plans
  • Schlieffen Plan (1905)

Assassination: Archduke Franz Ferdinand 28 June 1914

• Black Hand (Serbian nationalist group)
• Gavrilo Princip (19 years old)
• Blank Checks?
• Russian Mobilization July 29
• German Declaration of War August 1 on Russia
• German Declaration of War August 3 on France
• British Declaration of War August 4 on Germany