Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Great War
Section 1: Marching Towards War
1. Nationalism:
Can be a unifying force
Can cause intense competition- each trying to
overpower another
Europes Great Powers:
Fierce rivalry between Germany, Austria-
1. Nationalism
Disputes:
France: anger towards Germany for loss of
Alsace-Lorraine in Franco-Prussian War
Austria-Hungary and Russia both tried to
dominate the Balkans
Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania- fighting for
independence
2. Imperialism
Imperialism: seizure of a country or territory
by a stronger country
European countries competing for colonies in
Africa and Asia- often led these countries to
war
Contributed to increased rivalry and mistrust
3. Militarism
Nations of Europe believed to be truly great,
4. Alliances
Otto von Bismarck (chancellor of
4. Alliances
Kaiser Wilhelm II became ruler of Germany in
1888
Proud, stubborn; did not want to share power
with anyone
Let German treaty with Russia lapse in 1890
Russia responded by forming military alliance
with France (1892, 1894)
War with Russia or France would make
Germany an enemy of both
Began shipbuilding program to make German
navy equal to British navy
4. Alliances
Great Britain alarmed by German actions and
France or Russia
Triple Alliance:
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy (later switches
alliances)
***War between any rival countries could
4. Alliances
Serbia wanted to absorb Slavic groups on