A fracture initiation map is developed which should be useful in fast forming operations at strain rates greater than about 10-3 s-1 at elevated temperatures. Two types of cavitation mechanisms, one pertaining to cavity formation at second phase particles, as in ductile fracture, and the other pertaining to wedge type microcracking at grain boundaries, are considered. In addition, dynamic recrystallization and adiabatic heating effects are considered. When these concepts are applied to aluminum, it is shown that there may be an intermediate region in the strain rate and temperature field in which neither of these mechanisms should operate and within which the material would, therefore, be safe from fracture.