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The Two Alliances: Triple Alliance
Triple Alliance- Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy -
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Conscription
Conscription, a military draft, had been established as a regular practice in most Western countries before 1914. ( the United States and Britain were exceptions). European armies doubled in size between 1890 and 1914. -
The Two Alliances: Triple Entente
Triple Entete- France, Great Britain, and Russia -
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Balkan Crises
Between 1908 and 1913 when Austria-Hungary and russia rivaled one another for influences. -
The Serbian Problem Part 1
The British ambassador to Vienna anticipated war -
The Serbian Problem Part 2
Serbia, supported by Russia, was determined to create a large, independent Slavic state in the Balkans. Austria-Hungary, which had its own Slavic minorities contend with, was equally determined to prevent that from happening. -
the Outbreak of War: Summer 1914
the decisions made by the European leaders in response to another crisis in the Balkans may had started World War I along with militarism, nationalism, and the desire to stifle internal dissent. -
Internal Dissent
The desire to supress internal disorder may have encouraged various leaders to take the plunge into war in that year. -
Militarism
In the 1914 crises of military leaders fearing that any changes in the plans would cause chaos in the armed forces. thus, they insisted that their plans could not altered. This left European political leaders with little leeway. And they were forced to make decisions for military instead of political reasons -
Assassination in Sarajevo
Archduke Francis Ferdinand , the heir to the throne of Austria =- Hungary, and his wife Sophia, visited the Bosnian city of Sarajevo. But the conspirators, member of the Black Hand (a Serbian terriosts organization that wanted Bosnia to be free of Austria- hungary and to become part of large Serbian kingdom), tried to bomb archduke's car but fail. but Gavrilo Princip, a 19 year old Bosnian Serb, succeded in shooting both archduke and his wife. -
The Ultimatum
Strengthened by German support, Austrian leaders sent an ultimatum to Serbia -
Declaring War on Serbia
Austria- Hungary declaring war on Serbia.
And Russia was determined to support Serbia's cause and so Czar Nicholas II ordered partial mobilization (which at that year was considered an act of war) of the russian army against Austria-Hungary. -
Russia Moblizers
Based on the claim of mobilizing against only Austria- Hungary would create a chaos in the army , the czar ordered full mobilization of the russian army, knowing that Germany would consider this order an act of war. -
the Conflict Broadens
Great Britain declared war on Germany, officially for violating Belgian neutrality.
By that time, all the great powers of Europe were at war. -
Germany Declaring War on Russia
When Russia ignored the German's warning that said it must halt its mobilization within 12 hours, Germany declared war on Russia.
Like Russia, the Germans had a military plan that had been drawn up under the guidance of General Alfred von Schlieffen, Which was known as the SchlieffenPlan. the plan called for a two-front war with France and Russia, who had formed a military alliance in 1894. -
Declaring War on France
Under the Shlieffen Plan, Germany could not mobilize its troops soley against Russia, therefore, it declared war on France.
about the same time, it issued an ultimatum to Belgian demanding the right to German troops to pass through Belgian territory. -
Irish Rebellinous Against British
During World War one Irish nationlists staged a major rebellion in the captail of Dublin. the British put down the rebellion, but the harsh punishments only fuelded the desire for independence that was achieved in 1921
