M 16 marker Flashcards
Intro
There are many reason why WW1 broke out, both long and short term. Long:
- Militarism (Arms Race)
- Alliances
- Imperialism
- Nationalism
Short:
- Assassination
The alliance system was the most important
Alliance System
- The triple Alliance - Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary
- Triple Entente - Russia, France, Britain
- Was believed that they would keep Europe war-free
- As no one would dare invade them
Kaiser Wilhelm felt threatened and encircled by the Triple Entente- This caused a lot of tension → compared to barrel of gunpowder
Went from a war between 2 countries to a world war
Militarism (Arms race)
-A race between England and Germany to have the best navy
-Raised tensions
Great Britain is an islands so heavily relied on a navy to keep safe
-Germany wanted a navy comparable to GB so Kaiser Wilhelm II
- German Navy Laws outlined the production of 19 ships and then 30 the following year
- GB creates HMS Dreadnought
Fear of nothing - Germany creates SMS Reinhland
- ## Race to outdo each other
- Important as it raised tension
-Made both countries ready and not fearful of war
-Without the alliances and tension in the Balkan states neither country would have been involved
Assassination of ArchDuke Frans Ferdinand
- Ottoman Empire was weakening
- Wars were breaking out, wanting independence
-Serbia had gained independence and was growing in size and strength
-Serbia wanted to unite all serbs - main group called the Black Hand
-Many of whom lived in Bosnia (part of AH)
-Bad for AH as Bosnia was their access to the sea
-The Black Hand started causing trouble by blowing up and cutting telephone wires
-AH were worried that the serbs in Bosnia would revolt
-In 1914 ArchDuke Frans Ferdinad visited Sarajevo, Bosnia to oversee military manoeuvres
-Shot by Gavrilo Princip (Black Hand)
- Germany give AH a ‘blank cheque’ signifying their support of whatever AH do
- ## A month later WW1 starts
- Important as it sparks Europe into war
- Not the most as it would have happened anyway just the spark
Conclusion
- The 3 main reasons [Arms race, Alliance, Assassination]
-The arms race was important as it raised suspicion and tension
-Also meant both were ready and not afraid of war
- The Assassination would have lead to riots and small scale wars in the Balkan region
BUT
The because of the alliance system Europe exploded into a world war