Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________ World War I Section 1 MAIN IDEA Europe in 1914 was on the brink of war. After an assassination, the nations of Europe were drawn one by one into what would be called the Great War, or World War I. Key Terms and People Triple Alliance partnership that united Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy Triple Entente alliance between France, Russia, and Great Britain Franz Ferdinand archduke of Austria-Hungary whose assassination led to World War I Gavrilo Princip young Serbian who assassinated Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie neutral taking no side in a conflict Central Powers term for Germany and Austria-Hungary in World War I Allied Powers term for Great Britain, France, Russia, and Serbia in World War I Western Front series of trenches dug by both the Allied Powers and Central Powers in northern France, resulting in a deadlock Taking Notes As you read the summary, take notes on the events leading up to the outbreak of war in a graphic organizer like this one. Add boxes as needed. Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor. Full Survey Chapter 26 306 Interactive Reader and Study Guide Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________ World War I Section 1 Section Summary EUROPE ON THE BRINK OF WAR In 1914, four factors led to rising tensions in Europe. Militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism combined to put the continent on the brink of war. Throughout the previous decades, European countries had built up their armies and navies. They wanted to protect their overseas colonies from attack by other nations. Germany in particular had greatly increased the size of its military. This military build-up made nations nervous about the power of their neighbors. Many sought alliances for protection. In the late 1800s, Germany, Austria- Underline the nations that Hungary, and Italy united as the Triple Alliance. were part of the Triple Each nation pledged to defend the others in the event Alliance. Circle the nations that were part of the Triple of an attack. In response, France and Russia formed Entente. their own alliance. Great Britain then made an agreement, or entente (ahn tahnt), with France and Russia. These three nations became known as the Triple Entente. Across Europe, leaders hoped these alliances would prevent any nation from attacking another. At the same time, rivalries over empires were growing. Germany, France, Russia, and Great Britain had all built foreign empires and sought to keep other How were military alliances nations from gaining greater imperial power. related to imperialism in Another cause of rising tensions was an increase in pre-war Europe? nationalism, a strong pride in one’s country. In _______________________ Europe, nationalism had led to the creation of _______________________ countries such as Germany and Italy. It also led to struggles for power, especially on the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe. Serbia wanted to expand its borders and unite all the Serbs living in the Balkans in a “greater Serbia.” Austria-Hungary to the north opposed Serbian expansion because it feared rebellion by other Slavic groups in Austria-Hungary. WAR BREAKS OUT As tension grew, the archduke of Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand, visited the Bosnian city of Sarajevo (SAR-uh-YAY-voh). Serbian rebels had plotted to assassinate the archduke. As Ferdinand’s car rolled through the city, one of those rebels, Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor. Full Survey Chapter 26 307 Interactive Reader and Study Guide Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________ World War I Section 1 Gavrilo Princip, shot and killed the archduke and his wife Sophie. After Princip was identified as a Serb and the murder weapon was found to be supplied by the Serbian government, the Austrian-Hungary government threatened war against Serbia. Russia, which had promised to support the Serbs, prepared for war. Germany saw Russia’s war preparations as a threat and declared war on Russia. Germany later Which nation was first to declared war on Russia’s ally, France. declare war in 1914? Germany’s army first attacked Belgium, planning _______________________ to travel through that nation on the way to France. Belgium, however, was a neutral country that had promised to take no side in the conflict. Because Germany had attacked a neutral country, Great Britain declared war on Germany. The war became a conflict between two groups of nations. Germany and Austria- Hungary became known as the Central Powers. France, Russia, Serbia, and Great Britain were called the Allied Powers. FIGHTING IN 1914 German troops quickly advanced through Belgium, meeting a combined force of French and British soldiers in mid-August 1914. The first major battle, the Battle of the Frontiers, ended with a clear German victory. Meanwhile, however, Russia attacked German territory from the east. In the Battle of Tannenberg, German forces crushed the Russian army. However, the Russian attack had given Great Britain and France time to reorganize their forces. In Underline the names of the early September, the Allied Forces succeeded in major World War I battles driving back German forces at the Battle of the of 1914. Marne. After retreating, German soldiers dug a series of trenches along the Aisne (AYN) River. When the allies attacked again, Germany won the Battle of the Aisne. Allied forces dug trenches of their own. Despite a series of battles that followed, German and Allied forces gained little ground in the coming months. This deadlocked region in northern France became known as the Western Front. Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor. Full Survey Chapter 26 308 Interactive Reader and Study Guide .