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Creation of Triple Alliance
In 1879, Bismarck created the dual alliance. Three years later in 1882, Italy joined the two other countries forming the Triple Alliance. The goal for Bismarck was to isolate France, so France has no allies. All of the allies formed was a leading cause of the great war happening, because so many countries joined in. Triple alliance - Alliance formed by Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary -
Rise of Kaiser Wilhelm II
In 1890, Germany’s foreign policy changed dramatically. That year, Wilhelm forced Bismarck to resign. Wilhelm II did not want to share his land with anyone. -
Alliance of Russia and France
Wilhelm let his nation’s treaty with Russia lapse in 1890. Russia then responded by forming a defensive alliance with France in 1892 and 1894. This forced Germany to fight a two-front war. -
Creation of the Triple Entente
In 1907, Britain made another entente, this time with both France and Russia. The Triple Entente did not bind Britain to fight with France and Russia. But, it did certainly ensure that Britain would not fight against them. Triple entente: France, Russia and Great britain come together in an alliance -
Austria annexing Bosnia and Herzegovina
In 1908, Austria annexed, or took over, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Two areas in Balkan with large slavic population.
Nationalism - Having pride in your country, willing to defend it -
European Arm Race/Militarism
The nations believed that to be truly great, they needed to have a powerful military. By 1914 all the Great Powers except Britain had large standing armies. In addition, military experts stressed the importance of being able to quickly mobilize, or organize and move troops in case of a war.
Militarism - Building up armed forces, getting ready for war -
The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
Archduke Ferdinand and his wife paid a state visit to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. It would be their last. The royal pair was shot at point-blank range as they rode through the streets of Sarajevo in an open car. The killer was Gavrilo Princip, a 19-year-old Serbian and member of the Black Hand. The Black Hand was a secret society. -
The first declaration of war (the first day of World War I)
On July 28, Austria rejected Serbia’s offer and declared war. That same day, Russia, an ally of Serbia with its largely Slavic population, took action. Russian leaders ordered the mobilization of troops toward the Austrian border. -
Great Britain declares war on Germany
On August 1, the German government declared war on Russia. Russia looked to its ally France for help. Germany, however, did not even wait for France to react. Two days after declaring war on Russia, Germany also declared war on France. -
The battle lines are drawn - Central Powers and Allies
By mid-August 1914, the battle lines were clearly drawn. On one side were Germany and Austria-Hungary. They were known as the Central Powers because of their location in the heart of Europe. Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire would later join the Central Powers in the hopes of regaining lost territories. On the other side were Great Britain, France, and Russia. Together, they were known as the Allied Powers or the Allies. Japan joined the Allies within weeks. Italy joined later.