Unit 1: Outbreak of World War I and Its Aftermath - Study Materials

I. Causes of the War

Imperial Rivalry: Great Britain, France, and Germany competed for colonies in Africa and Asia to secure raw materials and markets.

System of Alliances:

Triple Alliance (1882): Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.

Triple Entente (1907): Britain, France, and Russia.

Militant Nationalism: Concepts like "Jingoism" (Britain), "Chauvinism" (France), and "Kultur" (Germany) created aggressive pride.

Immediate Cause: The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914.

II. Course of the War

Trench Warfare: Soldiers fought from dug-out trenches, leading to a long stalemate on the Western Front.

Battle of Jutland (1916): The only major naval battle between Britain and Germany.

Entry of USA (1917): The United States joined the Entente after Germany sank the British ship Lusitania with American passengers onboard.

III. Aftermath and Impact

Treaty of Versailles (1919): A harsh peace treaty forced upon Germany, including territorial losses and massive war reparations.

League of Nations: Formed in 1920 to prevent future wars, though it lacked its own military and the USA did not join.

Russian Revolution (1917): Internal conflict forced Russia to withdraw from the war earlier via the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.

Zeal study

History: Outbreak of World War I