HW 9

Causes of World War I

• Imperialism: European nations (Germany, France, Britain) competed for land and colonies.
• Miscalculation: Germany believed that with the Schlieffen Plan they would be able to quickly win the war.
• Revolution: Serbia/Austria-Hungary, assassination of the archduke
• Alliances: European countries allied with each other

Causes of the Iran-Iraq War

• Imperialism: Saddam Hussein attempted to unite the Arab world under his rule
• Miscalculation: Hussein believed that attacking Iran during the chaos that followed Iran's revolution in 1979 would give him an easy victory (expected a two-week war)
  
• Revolution: Iranians overthrow the Shah two different times (once in 1953 and again in 1979)
• Religion: Shi'ite Muslims in Iran, Sunni Muslims in Iraq
• Cold War: USA and USSR both had large parts in arming Iran and Iraq in the years leading up to the Iran-Iraq War.