Causes of WWI Flashcards
What were the Great Powers of Europe before WWI?
Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary
Who ruled Britain?
Monarch had little real power, Parliament actually ruled Britain
What was the population and number of colonies in the Britain Empire?
400 million, 56 territories
What were Britain’s issues?
Extreme wealth inequality, majority of people in poverty; lack of unemployment and other benefits, declining status as global power
How was France ruled?
A republic, governed by elected president, number of high-ranking army generals also held positions in government
How many people did the French Empire govern and where?
60 million, mainly in West and North Africa
What occurred in 1870 to France?
Germany defeated France and took land from it
What were France’s major issues?
Leading trading
The British royal family was directly connected to the rulers of which countries?
Russia, Germany, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Greece, Romania
What portion of the world’s population and land area did the British Empire control?
Approximately 1 quarter of world population and land area
What was the population of Britain in 1914?
41 million
What was the size of the British Army in 1914?
710,000
How many battleships did Britain have in 1914?
122
How many submarines did Britain have in 1914?
64
How large was Britain’s air force in 1914?
110 fighters and bomber planes, 6 airships
What was the size of Britain’s colonies?
27 million square kilometres
What was Britain’s annual coal production in 1914?
300 million tonnes
What was Britain’s annual steel production in 1914?
11 million tonnes
Which two areas of France did Germany take after the Franco-Prussian War?
Alsace and Lorraine
By the early 1900s, what percentage of the population were farmers?
Around 40%
What was the population of France in 1914?
41 million
What was the size of the French Army in 1914?
1,250,000
How many battleships did France have in 1914?
46
How many submarines in France have in 1914?
73
What was the size of the French air force in 1914?
132 fighter and bomber planes
How many colonies did France have in 1914?
29
What was the population of France’s colonies in 1914?
58 million
What was the size of France’s colonies in 1914?
11 million square kilometres
How much coal did France produce annually in 1914?
40 million tonnes
How much steel did France produce annually in 1914?
5 million tonnes
In the three decades before WWI, what happened to Russian oil and coal production?
Oil and coal production tripled
What percentage of the Russian population lived in the countryside and earned their living from farming?
Around 85%
When did Tsar Nicholas II take power?
1894
Who was Tsar Nicholas II’s wife?
Alexandra
What was the population of Russia in 1914?
159 million
What was the size of the Russian Army in 1914?
1,200,000
How many battleships did Russia have in 1914?
26
How many submarines did Russia have in 1914?
29
What was the size of the Russian air force in 1914?
360 fighter and bomber planes and 16 airships
What was Russia’s annual coal production in 1914?
36 million tonnes
What was Russia’s annual steel production in 1914?
4 million tonnes
What areas did the Russian Tsar want to take?
Manchuria, Persia and the Balkans
When was Germany formed?
1871
What happened to German coal production from 1880 to 1910?
Coal production quadroupled
What industries grew rapidly in the German Empire?
Steel, chemicals, engineering and armaments
When did Wilhelm II become Germany’s Kaiser?
1888
What was the population of Germany in 1914?
65 million
What was the size of Germany’s army in 1914?
2,200,000
How many battleships did Germany have in 1914?
85
How many submarines did Germany have in 1914?
23
What was the size of Germany’s air force in 1914?
246 fighter and bomber planes, 11 airships
How many colonies did Germany have in 1914?
10
What was the population of Germany’s colonies in 1914?
15 million
What was the size of Germany’s colonies in 1914?
2.5 million square kilometres
What was Germany’s annual coal production in 1914?
277 million tonnes
What was Germany’s annual steel production in 1914?
14 million tonnes
When war broke out, what colonies did Germany have and where?
Togo, Cameroons, South West Africa, East Africa (Africa), Kiaochow (China), Kaiser Wilhelm Land (New Guinea)
When had a union taken place between Austria and Hungary?
1867
What were the two largest ethnic groups in Austria-Hungary and how many people were a part of them?
Germans (10 million) and Hungarians (9 million)
What ethnic groups were there in Austria-Hungary?
Germans, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, Ukrainians, Slovens, Croats, Serbians, Romanians, Italians
When did violence erupt in Prague between Germans and Czechs?
December 1897
How many people were killed and wounded when violence erupted in Prague between Germans and Czechs?
10 killed, 200 wounded