Punto 1 World War I

Apuntes

• Subtopic: The Rivalry Between European Powers In the first decade of the 20th century, tensions between the major European powers increased. This period of "armed peace" eventually led to war. European powers became more nationalistic as they defended their interests in Europe and their colonies. → National Identity and Colonial Competition a) Germany, which had started building colonies later than others, wanted to expand in Morocco, creating problems with France, the main power there. b) France wanted to regain Alsace-Lorraine, a region taken by Germany. c) Germany and the United Kingdom had a strong rivalry because both wanted political and economic control of Europe and its trade routes. • Subtopic: Nationalist Aspirations in the Balkans The Balkans was a center of strong international tension. The Ottoman Empire was collapsing, and the region played a fundamental role in the outbreak of war in Europe. → Different Interests in the Area a) Some Slavic nations such as Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, and Albania wanted to free themselves from the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian empires and become independent states. b) Serbia and Russia also wanted to expand and contr...