h3 - WorldWarI Inevitabilityofwar June28,1914Archduke...

World War I

Inevitability of war
•
June 28, 1914 Archduke
Francis Ferdinand of
Austria assassinated
• July 5, 1914 Germany
issues A-H “blank check”
– pledging military assistance if
A-H goes to war against
Russia
• July 23, 1914 Austria issues
Serbia an ultimatum

The inevitability of war
•
July 28, 1914 A-H declares
war on Serbia
• July 29, 1914 Russia orders
full mobilization of its
troops
• August 1,1914 Germany
declares war on Russia
• August 2, 1914 Germany
demands Belgium declare
access to German troops

“Belgium is a country, not a road”
•
King Albert I of Belgium
denied permission
• August 2, 1914 Germany
declared war on France
– Why???
– The Schlieffen Plan!
• August 4, 1914 Great
Britain declared war on
Germany for violating
Belgian neutrality

1914 – 1915 Illusions and Stalemate
•
Many Europeans
were excited about
war
–
“Defend yourself
against the
aggressors”
–
Domestic differences
were put aside

1914 – 1915 Illusions and Stalemate
•
War would be over in
a few weeks
–
Ignored the length and
brutality of the
American Civil War
(prototype to World
War I)

1914 – 1915 Illusions and Stalemate
•
Belief that Modern
industrial war could
not be conducted for
more than a few
months
•
“Home by Christmas”