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Militarism and The Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a leading cause of World War 1. Beginning in 1760 and lasting until the 1820s, the Industrial Revolution increased production and weaponry. These advancements made weapons more quick and sturdy for wars, which in turn, increased militarism. Militarism was the belief that countries should preserve a strong military. -
Nationalism
Starting in 1801, Nationalism, or the patriotic feeling, principles, or efforts began. Feelings such as these, were what inspired the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. -
Imperialism
Imperialism is a system in which a powerful nation controls and exploits one or more colonies. Britain was a strong imperial force and eventually owned superior amounts of land which increased the rivalry with Germany. -
Alliances and The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and His Wife
Since Serbia assassinated Austria's president and his wife, Austria declared war on Serbia. Russia was allied with Serbia and decided to help, but Germany demanded Russia to stop as they were aligned with Austria. Germany declared war on Russia, formed an alliance with the Ottomans, and declared war on France through Belgium. -
Alliances Continued
Britain, France, Ireland, and Russia were part of the Triple Entente, while Germany and Austria formed the Central Powers. Britain was allied with Belgium so Britain declared war on Germany, causing World War 1 to start. -
Germany's Blank Check to Austria-Hungary
Germany issued a blank check, which was a commitment from Germany to back up Austria-Hungary in war, however they went against the commitment and chose to deal with Serbia. -
World War 1 Begins
Due to the Industrial Revolution, Nationalism, the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and many other causes, World War 1 begins in Europe and lasts until November 11, 1918. After Germany attacked France through Belgium, Britain declared war on Germany and officially entered the war on August 4th. -
The Sinking of Lusitania and US Entry Into the War
Germany attacked Lusitania, carrying american passengers, as they believed it was full of war supplies. The United States became involved as its unrest with Germany increased, becoming a major reason in why they entered the war. Since most countries already relied on the United States for resources, no immediate military or economic impact occurred. The US allowed the war to be more in favor of the Allied Powers'. -
Zimmerman Telegram
Defined by Wikipedia and History.com, the Zimmerman Telegram was a secret diplomatic communication issued from the German Foreign Office in January 1917 that proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico in the prior event of the United States entering World War 1 against Germany (Zimmermann). -
Germany's Resumption of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare
After the sinking of Lusitania, Germany went back to unrestricted submarine warfare. Along with the sinking of Lusitania, this event further pushed the United States into World War 1. -
World War 1 Ends and its' Effects
World war 1 ends and leaves over sixteen million casualties. The Treaty of Versailles was written shortly after and Germany was blamed for the war. The League of Nations was created, nationalist movements began, and Hitler rose. In addition, six new countries in eastern Europe formed; Poland, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Estonia. Eventually, on September 1, 1939, World War 2 began. -
The Treaty of Versailles
Signed on June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles ended World War 1 by terminating war between Germany and the allied powers. The treaty led to the establishment of the League of Nations, and guaranteed the start of World War 2 along with the Great Depression. Germany was blamed for the starting the war and their military power was reduced. The Germans felt that this was unfair and disagreed with the Treaty of Versailles. -
The League of Nations
In order to prevent the outbreak of more wars, the League of Nations was created to provide a convention for settling international arguments. Although the league had good intentions, it was very weak and did not prevent other wars from beginning, such as World War 2. -
The Dawes Plan and the Young Plan
From History.state.gov, "In the years following the first World War, issues of debt repayment and reparations troubled relations between the Allies and the now defeated Germany" (US). The Dawes and Young Plans created a triangle of debts and payments. The United States owed 2.5 billion in loans to Germany, who owed 2 billion in reparation payments to the Allies who owed 2.6 billion in war debt payments to the United States. These plans allowed the Weimar Republic to afford reparations. -
The Great Depression
America faced developing financial problems after the financial crash. Crop prices rose during the war, which caused spending to increase. However, when the crop prices dropped after the war, many people were left with items they had purchased, but were unable to afford installments. Many banks failed and some textile mills shut down. Farmers lost their land to foreclosure and railroads went bankrupt. Marriage and birth rates dropped. The Great Depression ended in 1939, lasting 10 years. -
Rise of Hitler
Adolf Hitler was a very powerful leader who drew the attention of many German's seeking change in a new leader. The Nazi's attracted young people, the unemployed, and the lower class. Hitler is known for terrorizing the Jewish people in Concentration Camps, in a time called the Holocaust. He is known for saying, "If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed" (Adolf). Hitler remained in power until 1945.
