5.1: Long-term causes of WWI

Question 1

MAIN:B

Answer 1

Militarism
Alliance system
Industrialization
Nationalism(/imperialism)
Balkans

Question 2

Why did statesmen generals believe large armies would help avoid war? What was the problem?

Answer 2

Deterrence, they thought a larger army = other powers less likely to attack.

Problem: All armies growing -> rival state worried other army growing faster than own -> attack pre-emptively before differece was too great.
(Use your army before you lose your army.)

Question 3

Russian army size

Answer 3

Largest globally. 1.3 million in standing army + claim could mobilise 5 million reserves.

Question 4

Russian army problem

Answer 4

Poor infastructure, distance between military depots + poor military organisation -> only 1/5 able bodied men of age joined.

Question 5

Russian army double edged

Answer 5

Russia = prominent fear to rivals focused on other states.
BUT
Russian military planners knew their deficiencies meant they needed to mobilise before the enemy.

Question 6

Anglo-German naval race

Answer 6

Second Naval Law of 1900 Ger. doubled navy to 38 ships -> Britian launches HMS Dreadnought December 1906 -> Germany wanted to rival -> arms race saw navies combined increase 197% 1900-1914.

Question 7

The Dual Alliance -> The Triple Alliance

Answer 7

Germany + Austria Hungary (1879) defensive military alliance -> (1882) Italy joined treaty meant military support if other two were in war against 2 or more opponents.

Question 8

Reinsurance Treaty

Answer 8

Germany + Russia (1887) -> this treaty plus Trip. Alli. made Bismarck’s wish come true in isolating France.

Not renewed in 1890 -> Russia isolated too

Question 9

Franco-Russian Alliance

Answer 9

1894

Russia attack Germany if Germany attacked France or aided Italy in attacking France.

France attack Germany if Germany attacked Russia or helped Aus.-Hun. do the same.

Question 10

Britian out of isolation

Answer 10

Britian battered by victory in SA + German naval race pressuring treasury + tensions w/ France in Africa almost war

First alliance with Japan then rapprochement w/ France

Question 11

The Entente Cordiale -> The Triple Entente

Answer 11

1904 between France + Britian -> settle differences in Africa (+ other places) + no military commitment (Britian didn’t want binding military action).

1907 Britian + Russia settle differneces + Russia joins

Question 12

Complications: white dominations

Answer 12

Canada, NZ, Australia commited if Britian declared war -> if Britian support Entente member = global war

Question 13

Complications: Britian + Belgium

Answer 13

1839

Question 14

Consequences of increased manufacturing (non-uniform)

Answer 14

Increase not uniform among powers -> competetive economic tensions -> lead to diplomatic + political tension increasing

Question 15

Consequences of increased manufacturing (steel +iron production)

Answer 15

1890-1913 -> American production up 242% -> Britian was down -> Germany up 329% (stress for Britian) -> France very behind

Question 16

Bismarck conference in Berlin

Answer 16

Berlin 1885 -> rules for exploiting and claiming Africa -> calming disagreement of ownership

Question 17

Bismarck retires

Answer 17

1890 -> Kaiser Wilhelm II wanted colonies -> Germany under-represented (wanted her “place in the sun”)

Question 17

Why did Bismarck host the Berlin conference?

Answer 17

Bismarck didn’t like or care for oversea colonies -> BUT didn’t want disputes to jeopardize his new Germany by dragging them into European war.

Question 18

Weltpolitik

Answer 18

(world policy) -> Imperialist foreign policy -> brush and provocative

Question 19

Wilhelm re-evaluation

Answer 19

1905 -> State visit French controlled Morocco -> wanted statues re-ev. -> international conference Algeciras -> upheld French claims

Question 20

Consequences of Wilhelm re-evaluation

Answer 20

Strenghthened the Anglo-French entente

Made rest of Europe wary abt German motives + methods on world stage

Question 21

Wilhelm second visit to Morocco

Answer 21

1911 -> Kaiser travelled to Moroccan port of Agadir to question imperial claims -> Britian supported ally France

Question 22

Consequences Morocco

Answer 22

Wilhem left Algeciras + Adagir Crisis feeling Germany was becoming dangerously isolated + vicitimised.

Question 23

Political domination balkans shift

Answer 23

Traditionally Aus.-Hun. + Ottom. -> by end of 19th century Otto. influence + power collapsing -> Aus.-Hun. wanted expand influ. -> Balkans became very unstable part of Europe’s political system

Question 24

Italy + Ottoman -> war

Answer 24

Italy tries to wrest Tripoli from Otto. by force in 1911 -> Sultan’s divided attention + resources -> Serbia formed Balkan League w/ Bulgaria, Montenegro + Greece -> war w/ Turkey -> gained Albania + Macedonia

Question 25

Second Balkan War

Answer 25

Loads of Albania + Macedonia to Bulgaria -> Serbia addressed this by defeating them in 1913 -> Serbian designs on Albania + access to the sea thwarted -> int. interv. Aus.-Hun.

Question 26

Russia backs down

Answer 26

Normally supports Serbia -> backed down faced w/ the Aus. resolve -> (similar to Aus. annexed Bosnia, Slavic terretory, 1908) -> no intervention -> creation of Independant Kingdom of Albania

Question 27

July crisis start

Answer 27

Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (Habsburg throne heir) + wife Sofie in Sarajevo 28th June 1914

Question 28

FF assasination significant in relation to Serbia

Answer 28

Assas. regular occurance -> 8 heads of state assas. 1881-1914 (2x Habs.)

Certain ppl. in Serbain military supported Bosnian terrorist group Black Hand BUT support did not extend to the government.

Question 29

How did Aus.-Hun. abuse Black Hand support in Serbia?

Answer 29

Chancellor von Berchtold + Chief of General Staff saw this as an oppertunity to crush south-Slav nationalism -> meant war w/ Serbia

Question 30

The Blanck Cheque

Answer 30

Unconditional support Germany offered Aus.-Hun. on July 5, 1914, after the assas. Support confirmed in meeting Wilhelm II + Aus.-Hun. representatives.

“blank cheque” = metaphorical -> Germany promised Austria-Hungary in backing them without any limitations or conditions -> like handing over a signed blank cheque where recipient could fill in any amount they wished.

Question 31

Ultimatum for Serbia + consequences

Answer 31

Designed impossible to accept -> affronted many aspects of Serb sovereignty. -> Serbs capitulated to most of the demands -> Kaiser believed w/ Serb response “every reason for war drops away”. -> Aus.-Hun. declare war against Serbia hours later 28 July 1914.

Question 32

Willy-Nicky

Answer 32

Russians view Aus. mobilization direct threat to frontiers + memory of Balkan humiliations. -> Tsar order partial mobilization Aus. night 29 July.

Russian War Minister understood alliance obligations Germany owed Aus. -> persuade Tsar fully mobilize along western frontier.

Kaiser increasing panic -> demanded Tsar cease military preparation -> not forthcoming -> Wilhelm ordered full mobilization -> part of Schlieffen Plan -> directed to France, via neutral Belgium.