Causes and Events of the First World War, 1890–1918--CAUSES

Question 1

What were the long term causes of Franz Ferdinand’s assassination?

Answer 1

Long term causes:

-Serb nationalists wanted to unite all Serb speakers in a greater Serbia; an expansion which Austro-Hungary opposed.

Question 2

What were the short term causes of Franz Ferdinand’s assassination?

Answer 2

Short term causes:

• The 1908 annexation of Bosnia (1/3 Serb) which caused Serbian anger and grew their national terrorist organisations like the Black Hand gang.
• The Balkan wars strengthened Serbia giving them confidence and a belief that they deserved an independent empire.
• The nationalists hoped it would provoke a war between Serbia and A-H where Russia would support Serbia.

Question 3

What were the triggers of Franz Ferdinand’s assassination?

Answer 3

• Nationalists were concerned that Franz Ferdinand might pass reforms that would reduce support for an independent Bosnia and greater Serbia.
• Franz Ferdinand provided the perfect opportunity in his visit to Sarajevo in June-

Question 4

Was Ferdinand’s death more due to bad luck or bad judgement?

Answer 4

• It was partly due to bad judgement that the Archduke was in Sarajevo in June 1914 (a day celebrating independence) and that he didn’t turn back after the first attack of the bomb.
• However, it was also just due to bad luck as the car stalled in range of the assassin, because the driver hadn’t been informed of a road change

Question 5

How did the assassination of Franz Ferdinand lead to war?

Answer 5

When Austria couldn’t meet all the terms of A-H’s ultimatum, they declared war on Serbia. Then Russia (who said “for Serbia, we shall do everything”) declared war on A-H, after which Germany put the Schlieffen plan into place declaring war on Russia and marching to France. To honour treaties with Belgium and then France, Britain joined the war.

Question 6

Which factors (long and short term) responsible for the outbreak of war?

Answer 6

Long term:
-alliance system
-colonial rivalry
-arms race
-crises in Morocco
Short term:
-the Balkan wars
-Franz Ferdinand’s assassination

Question 7

What was the Schlieffen plan?

Answer 7

A plan originally devised in 1905 to march through Belgium (around France’s defences) to reach Paris within 3 weeks and defeat France quickly then hook round to face Russia. Originally, this would have required 90% of their forces, but would avoid a war on two fronts.

Question 8

Why did the Schlieffen plan go wrong?

Answer 8

• Germany underestimated how long Russia would take to mobilise (10 days instead of 3 months meaning Germany was forced to split its forces
• Britain honoured the 1839 treaty of London to defend Belgium and send its BEF (120 000 men)
• The Belgium’s put up a good fight
• France wasn’t defeated within 6 weeks

Question 9

What was the “blank check” Germany gave to Austria and what effect did it have?

Answer 9

On the 6 July 1914 this telegram gave German support to whatever course of action A-H took in punishing Serbia for the assassination.