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[[World History Lecture One|1]]-[[World History Lecture Two|2]]-[[World History Lecture Three|3]]-[[World History Lecture Four|4]]-[[World History Lecture Five|5]]-[[World History Lecture Six|6]]-[[World History Lecture Seven|7]]-[[World History Lecture Eight|8]]-[[World History Lecture Nine|9]]-[[World History Lecture Ten|10]]-[[World History Lecture Eleven|11]]-[[World History Lecture Twelve|12]]-[[World History Lecture Thirteen|13]]-[[World History Lecture Fourteen|14]]

[[World History Lecture One|1]]-[[World History Lecture Two|2]]-[[World History Lecture Three|3]]-[[World History Lecture Four|4]]-[[World History Lecture Five|5]]-[[World History Lecture Six|6]]-[[World History Lecture Seven|7]]-[[World History Lecture Eight|8]]-[[World History Lecture Nine|9]]-[[World History Lecture Ten|10]]-[[World History Lecture Eleven|11]]-[[World History Lecture Twelve|12]]-[[World History Lecture Thirteen|13]]-[[World History Lecture Fourteen|14]]

The Modern era is from 1900 to today.  We start it with this lecture.

 

The Modern era is from 1900 to today.  We'll just have time now to start with the period prior to the onset of World War I, which was in 1914.

 

The relationship among European nations was strained and tense around 1900, also known as the turn of (into) the 20th century.  The nations had much to disagree about.  Imperialism caused conflicts to arise.  Economic competition intensified, and the quest for raw materials like gold, oil and agriculture heightened the tension.

The relationship among European nations was strained and tense around 1900, also known as the turn of (into) the 20th century.  The nations had much to disagree about.  Imperialism caused conflicts to arise.  Economic competition intensified, and the quest for raw materials like gold, oil and agriculture heightened the tension.

In sum, there were three causes of increased rivalries among European nations:  nationalism, militarism and imperialism.  Remember those three causes of problems.

In sum, there were three causes of increased rivalries among European nations:  nationalism, militarism and imperialism.  Remember those three causes of problems.

=== The Problem with Alliances ===

== Alliances ==

You may recall that European nations entered into many alliances beginning as early as the fall of Napoleon (the “Concert of Europe” established at the Congress of Vienna).

You may recall that European nations entered into many alliances beginning as early as the fall of Napoleon (the “Concert of Europe” established at the Congress of Vienna).

And what a devastating war it was.  Never before in the history of the world was a war fought in such a deadly manner.  With Christians on both sides, one might wonder how this could have happened.  But this was long past the feudal times when fighting stopped on every Christian holiday.  By 1914, leaders in both Germany on one side and Britain on the other had embraced concepts of survival-of-the-fittest, and many educated people felt that war was an essential part of the improvement of the human race.  Let the stronger race win, according to this theory.

And what a devastating war it was.  Never before in the history of the world was a war fought in such a deadly manner.  With Christians on both sides, one might wonder how this could have happened.  But this was long past the feudal times when fighting stopped on every Christian holiday.  By 1914, leaders in both Germany on one side and Britain on the other had embraced concepts of survival-of-the-fittest, and many educated people felt that war was an essential part of the improvement of the human race.  Let the stronger race win, according to this theory.

=== What Ignited the War ===

== What Ignited World War I ==

The Balkans in Eastern Europe was where the war began.  The Ottoman empire had declined, leaving a power vacuum that European nations tried to fill.  The Slavs in Serbia, with Russian support, wanted to unite all the Slavs in the Balkans.  Austria-Hungary, which has a very small Slavic population, opposed this.  Instead, Austria-Hungary wanted to control the Balkans rather than Russia.

The Balkans in Eastern Europe was where the war began.  The Ottoman empire had declined, leaving a power vacuum that European nations tried to fill.  The Slavs in Serbia, with Russian support, wanted to unite all the Slavs in the Balkans.  Austria-Hungary, which has a very small Slavic population, opposed this.  Instead, Austria-Hungary wanted to control the Balkans rather than Russia.

The German colonies could not help the Germans, because these colonies were captured by Allied Powers.

The German colonies could not help the Germans, because these colonies were captured by Allied Powers.

 

==Introduction==

==Introduction==