The Great War - History Book Chapter Page 4
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Marching Toward War
MAIN IDEA
WHY IT MATTERS NOW
TERMS & NAMES
POWER AND AUTHORITY In
Ethnic conflict in the Balkan
• militarism
• Kaiser
Europe, military buildup,
region, which helped start the
• Triple
Wilhelm II
nationalistic feelings, and rival
war, continued to erupt in that
Alliance
• Triple
alliances set the stage for a
area in the 1990s.
Entente
continental war.
SETTING THE STAGE
At the turn of the 20th century, the nations of Europe
had been largely at peace with one another for nearly 30 years. This was no acci-
dent. Efforts to outlaw war and achieve a permanent peace had been gaining
momentum in Europe since the middle of the 19th century. By 1900, hundreds
of peace organizations were active. In addition, peace congresses convened reg-
ularly between 1843 and 1907. Some Europeans believed that progress had made
war a thing of the past. Yet in a little more than a decade, a massive war would
engulf Europe and spread across the globe.
Rising Tensions in Europe
TAKING NOTES
Summarizing Create a
While peace and harmony characterized much of Europe at the beginning of the
time line of major events
1900s, there were less visible—and darker—forces at work as well. Below the
that led to the start of
surface of peace and goodwill, Europe witnessed several gradual developments
World War I.
that would ultimately help propel the continent into war.
The Rise of Nationalism
One such development was the growth of national-
event
event
one
three
ism, or a deep devotion to one’s nation. Nationalism can serve as a unifying force
within a country. However, it also can cause intense competition among nations,
event
event
with each seeking to overpower the other. By the turn of the 20th century, a fierce
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rivalry indeed had developed among Europe’s Great Powers. Those nations were
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, and France.
This increasing rivalry among European nations stemmed from several
sources. Competition for materials and markets was one. Territorial disputes
were another. France, for example, had never gotten over the loss of Alsace-
Lorraine to Germany in the Franco-Prussian War (1870). Austria-Hungary and
Russia both tried to dominate in the Balkans, a region in southeast Europe.
Within the Balkans, the intense nationalism of Serbs, Bulgarians, Romanians,
and other ethnic groups led to demands for independence.
Imperialism and Militarism
Another force that helped set the stage for war in
Europe was imperialism. As Chapter 27 explained, the nations of Europe com-
peted fiercely for colonies in Africa and Asia. The quest for colonies sometimes
pushed European nations to the brink of war. As European countries continued
to compete for overseas empires, their sense of rivalry and mistrust of one
another deepened.
841
The Great War
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