Part 1: Causes of WW1 Flashcards
What was Britain’s Government like before WW1?
-Under the reign of Queen Victoria, Britain had become hugely influential and had family connections with most of the royal families in Europe
-The Reign of George V was during the First World war (1910-36) and he had very little power but still remained a symbol of Britain’s status in the World.
-The real power lied within the elected British Parliament and the government drawn from that.
What was Britain’s Empire like before WW1
-British Empire was at its peak, it had grown incredibly under the reign of Victoria. It was the largest empire in the world, ruling over 400 million people.
-The empire meant Britain was a major industrial power and the worlds richest country.
They key issues of Britain before WW1?
-Majority of population were living in poverty, Britain’s wealth was only concentrated to small groups of people, was a divided nation. The state did not provide anything to help those who struggled.
-Britain’s status was declining as other countries like the US and Germany developed their industries and grew more powerful.
Frances Government before WW1?
-France was a republic and governed by an elected president.
-High ranking army generals also held positions in government
Frances Empire before WW1?
- Was the second biggest empire that ruled around 60 million people.
-In 1870, defeated France and took land from them which was a blow to national pride.
Key issues in France before WW1?
-Was beginning to fall behind other quickly advancing nations such as Britain and Germany.
-The population of the country was falling.
Russia’s government before WW1?
-Russia was ruled in the early 1900s by Tsar Nicholas II who had total power.
-It was a strong belief at the time that he had been chosen to rule by God.
-The Tsar was facing increasing opposition as this system was becoming less popular.
Russia’s empire before World war 1?
-Russia was the largest country in the world, but much of its Eastern territory was too cold to live in or farm.
-The population was huge and consisted of over 200 ethnic groups
-Had no overseas colonies
-Had control of the neighboring territory during the 19th century
Key issues of Russia before WW1?
-Around 85% of population lived in the countryside where the conditions were harsh.
-A poor harvest in Russia could result to the death of thousands
-People had very few rights and freedoms. Challenges to authority were dealt with brutally.
-The Tsar simply rejected many of the laws that were passed, the elected government in 1905 was poorly formed.
What was Austria-Hungary’s government like before WW1?
- Both Austria and Hungary each had their own separate governments but the power was ultimately held by the emperor, Franz-Josef.
Austria-Hungary’s empire before WW1?
-Union of both countries was formed in 1867
-The empire consisted of many nationalities, culture and languages, and some areas had began to call for independence.
The Key issues in Austria Hungary before WW1
-Very significant tensions between the ethnic groups with the empire
-People thought the empire was in decline as the government was unpopular and the emperor was getting old.
Who ruled Britain before and during WW1?
- George V and the parliament
Who ruled France before and during WW1
Raymond Poncaré, the elected president
Who ruled Germany before and during Word war one?
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Who ruled Russia before and during world war one?
Tsar Nicholas II
Who ruled Austria Hungary before and during WW1
Franz-Josef
Why would countries form alliance systems?
-To increase influence and security
- If one country became involved in a conflict with another country, then its allies would also become involved
What were the two main alliance systems formed leading up to WW1?
The triple alliance and the triple entente
What was formed in 1879 and why?
The dual alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary
-The two countries were naturally allies, sharing a similar location, culture and language
What was formed in 1882 and why?
Italy joined the dual alliance and it became the triple alliance. They all promised to provide military support if attacked by two other powers.
What was formed in 1892 and why?
The Franco-Russian alliance, as France wanted to protect itself from Germany after a recent war.
What was formed in 1904 and why?
The Entente Cordiale, between Britain and France, as Britain was becoming increasingly concerned about the threat of Germany.
What was Formed in 1907 and why?
The Triple entente between France, Britain and Russia as it strengthened all alliances and meant they had protection from Germany.
What were the increasing problems with the alliance systems by 1907?
-It would mean a large-scale between several well armed countries. If a disagreement started between two opposing countries, then all the other countries would also he dragged into conflict,.
Roughly how many men did the triple entente have
3 million
Roughly how many men did the triple alliance have?
3.7 Million
The events of the first moroccan Crisis in 1905
-France wanted to take control of Morocco and Britain supported this
-Germany opposed the takeover
-In April 1905, Kaiser Wilhelm visited Tangier to openly pledge his support for Morocco’s independence.
-He made this a significant scene, dressed in full military uniform and arriving on white horses.
Why did Kaiser Wilhelm visit Morocco openly pledge his support for Moroccos independence?
- To see how far the French could be pushed
- To test the strength of the Entente Cordiale
-To show that Germany was going to be fully involved in world affairs.
When was the Algeciras Conference and why was it held?
In 1906.
-Tensions between France and Germany had increased significantly, and war between the two seemed likely.
- In order to avoid this, all major powers (Including the USA) met in Algeciras in Spain for a conference.
What was the results of the Algeciras conference?
-Germany was hugely humiliated, as the majority agreed that France should have special rights to Morocco and only Austria-Hungary supported Germany.
The events of the second Moroccan Crisis in 1911
- A rebellion in Fez lead the Sultan of Morocco to ask France for help. France sent 20,000 troops.
-Germany saw this as France invading Morocco and sent a warship called the “panther” to the area. The British prepared for war.
-Meetings were held to prevent the the countries from breaking out into war, but the tensions remained incredibly high.
What were the consequences of the crisis?
-The Kaiser agreed to back down, but the two crisises showed how tense the situation was.
-France took full control of Morocco but Germany was given territory in Central Africa as compensation.
-Germanys second humiliation meant they were definitely unlikely to back down from anything in the future.
-Britain began to build up its navy as they saw Germany as a threat to peace.
-Britain and France grew closer
-Italy’s lack of support towards Germany weakened the alliance.
What were the problems in the Balkans leading up to the Balkan crisis in 1908-1909
The Turkish empire (Ottoman) was on the verge of collapse. Many countries in the empire had rebelled, some gaining partial control or full independence.
-Neighboring powers, especially Austria Hungary saw this as an opportunity to increase their territory.
The key events of the Balkan Crisis in 1908-1909
-1908, there was a rebellion in Turkey
-Austria-Hungary took advantage of this and unofficially took control of Bosnia, Annexing it.
-This angered nearby Serbians, and they asked Russia for help.
-Russia called for an international conference
-Germany was unhappy with Austria-Hungarys actions but agreed to support them nonetheless
-The Russians did not want war and so chose to back down, they were not strong enough to take on the triple alliance.
What were the consequences of Russia backing down from Germany and Austria-Hungary and Bosnia remaining under AH’s control?
-AH became confident that Germany would support them no matter what they did.
-Bosnians became very angry about this situation and a number of secret opposition groups were formed within the country.
-Russia refused to ever back down again from opposition.
-Italy was unhappy with AHs expansions into the Balkans and this weakened the alliance.
What was the Balkan League and why was it set up?
-It was a league between Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria and Montenegro.
-It was encouraged by the Russians as they saw it as a good ally against AH.
-Its aims was to expel the Turks from the Balkans and gain independence from the Ottoman empire.
What happened during the First Balkan war in October 1912 to May 1913? (The Balkans was a geographical region in south-Eastern Europe)
-The war lasted 50 days and involved around half a million soldiers.
-Turkey was defeated and at a conference in London they agreed to withdraw all of its territories in Europe.
What happened during the Second Balkan war June to august 1913?
-There were disagreements in the amount of Land each country in the Balkan league should take from Turkey.
-The King of Bulgaria was no happy with his share of land and declared war on Greece and Serbia.
-Turkey and Romania both joined the war against Bulgaria.
- It was a horrible disaster for Bulgaria which lost most of the land they gained during the First Balkan war.
What were the consequences of both Balkan wars?
-Serbia almost doubled in size and became the strongest of the Balkan nations
-Serbia wanted to increase its influence further, including over the Slav people who were living in AH controlled territories,
-Many Serbs in Bosnia wanted Bosnia to become part of Serbia
-Bulgaria was weakened by the wars and wanted revenge on Serbia
-AH saw the growth of Serbia as a threat especially as it was aligned with Russia.
Why did Britain choose to be alone in “Splendid isolation”?
By 1900, Britain was the wealthiest and one of the most powerful countries in the world, with the biggest empire and navy.
-The British government deliberately isolated itself from European affairs and refused to have any economic and military allies, due to the fact that they believed because of their strength and abundance of resources from its empire, there was no need for military or economic alliances.
-This was called “splendid isolation”
What were the changes and challenges to Britains “splendid isolation”
-European alliances began to form and Germany became more aggressive
-The formation of the alliance between France and Russia, Germany and AH and eventually the triple alliance with Italy.
-Germany supported the Boers in their rebellion against the British in South Africa.
-Britain and France made agreements over North African colonies and began to work together more often.
-From the late 19th Century, Kaiser Wilhelm II began to build Germanys military and talked about Germany becoming a world power. This threatened the British.
when do historians believe was the end of Britains Isolation?
In 1902 when Britain signed an alliance with Japan, promising to help eachother if either was attacked by more than one power.
What happened in 1903 that also ended Britains isolation and helped the formation of the entente Cordiale in 1904?
-Kind Edward VIII sent four battleships as a mark of respect for the French president during an arrival.
-This delighted the president and he invited the King to Paris. This significant success helped pave the way for their later alliance, and therefore the formation of the Triple Entente.
When did Kaiser Wilhelm come into power?
1888
What were the aims Kaiser Wilhelm had for Germany and how did he fulfill this? -Weltpolitik
-Generally, he wanted to build up the countries military strength and turn it into a global power.
-The Kaiser adopted the idea of “Weltpolitik” which meant “World policy”
-This idea consisted of Germany obtaining a larger empire with lots of control of overseas colonies. The Kaiser wanted Germany to become a global power and this was how he saw the way to it.
-In the late 1800s, Germany began to conquer other nations, especially in Africa.
Why did the Kaiser want a large navy and how did he fulfill this?
-It would help build the empire and protect it.
-He wanted to rival Britain’s navy.
-Taxes were raised and money was borrowed in order to fund the development of the military. This caused Germany to remain in debt for a long time.
What were the consequences of the Kaisers aims and his actions to complete them?
-The other European countries became alarmed by the Kaisers sudden actions and became concerned their colonies might be taken.
-It lead to other nations building up their own navies and armies and prepare for war.
-Nations began to prepare attack and defense plans, there was no coincidence why allies were formed at this time.
What is an arms race and why did it happen before WW1?
-When rival countries build up their armed forces in a bid to become bigger and stronger than the other.
-It was a response to the Kaisers words and actions.
Explain what the preparation on land was like during the arms race
-By 1914, the six major powers had spent almost £400million between them on increasing the size and strength of their armies and navies.
-The countries also introduced conscription to the army (except Britain who did much later)
What were Britain’s military plans that they build during the arms race?
-An army unit would quickly travel to France to aid the French
What were France’s military plans that they build during the arms race?
-Troops would march through Alsace and Lorraine, then continue to Berlin. This was called plan 17.
What were Russia’s military plans that they build during the arms race?
-Millions of Russian troops would attack the German and AH borders.
This was called plan 19
What were Germany’s military plans that they build during the arms race?
-Planned to attack France first and defeat them quickly before Russia could organise their troops.
Avoided fighting a war on two fronts
-This was called the Schlieffen plan.
What were Austria-Hungary’s military plans that they build during the arms race?
-They developed a number of different plans that depended on the countries that would become involved.
-The names of some of these plans were Plan B and Plan R
Explain the British and German naval arms race
-The Kaiser wishing to catch up with the British navy caused Britain to begin to build up their navy further to avoid this.
-The Kaiser passed a series of navy laws that increased the size of the German navy.
-In response to this, Britain created the dreadnoughts- the most powerful battleships ever built for the time.
-Germany then built its own version of the Dreadnoughts and Britain responded again by building super-dreadnoughts.
Why did Britain saw the Kaisers aims and choices as aggressive?
-Britain needed a navy to protect their trade routes and colonies, they were an Island and needed to protect their coasts.
-They believed that Germany did not need a navy for these reasons as they only had a Northern coastline and limited colonies.
What was Britain’s relationship like with Germany leading up to WW1?
-Tense; both nations saw each other as threats.
-They had a lot of aims in common, they wanted to have big empires and military strength. This caused rivalry between the two.
-The British viewed Germany as intentionally being aggressive because of the naval arms race etc etc.
How did the Black Hand form and what was it?
-In the late 1800s, a strong nationalist movement had grown in Serbia. They wanted to unite all of the Serb areas in the Balkans to one unified country.
-When AH took over Bosnia in 1908, this went against the nationalists aims. A lot of Serbs lived in Bosnia.
-Secret Serb groups began to plot to drive the AHs out of Bosnia. One of these groups were called the black hand.
Who was the Black hand lead by?
-Dragutin Dimitrijevic (known as Apis).
What assassinations did the Black hand plan and how successful were they?
-In 1911 they attempted to Kill AHs emperor Franz Josef and failed.
-They also plotted to kill another senior Austrian official but this also failed.
How did AH respond to the Black Hands past assassination attempts?
-They were angered, especially by the rumors that the Serbian Government was involved in the plots.
-Many advisors encouraged Frans Josef to deal with Serbia and any rebels harshly.
-The Emperor decided to send his nephew and heir to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo.
Why was Franz Ferdinand sent to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo?
-It was to enforce and show AHs power and authority over Bosnia and any Serbians within it, especially as the day he was visiting coincided with Serbia’s National day.
Why was Franz Ferdinand’s visit important to the Black hand gang?
-This was an incredible opportunity to carry out an assassination.
-Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie’s visit was seen as an insult to many Serbs and this fired their passion to plot an assassination.
What was the entire timeline and process of the assassination?
-The Black hand requited seven students, trained them in Serbia and got them across the border in time for the visit.
-The leader of the attempt was Gavrillo Princip, who was dying of Tuberculosis and had nothing to loose.
-At 10AM, FF and his wife Sophie began their open top car tour of Sarajevo.
-That day security was week, and the car was driving slow so he could wave at the crowds and give a friendly impression.
-The assassins waited along the route amongst the crowd (the route had been published in a newspaper)
-The first assassin lost his nerve and let the car drive by
-The second assassin threw a bomb at the car but it deflected and exploded underneath the car behind.
-FF was furious and cancelled the rest of his visit but planned to visit those wounded by the bomb.
-The driver took a wrong turn on the newly planned route and stopped the car to turn around outside Schiller’s Cafe, where Princip happened to be eating a sandwich after the supposed failure of the assassination.
-Princip took out his gun and fired twice, Killing both FF and his wife Sophie.
Who was the leader of the Franz Ferdinand assassination attempt?
-Gavrillo Princip
What happened after FF and his wife were shot?
-Princip took a cyanide pill but it was old and didn’t work.
-He was sentenced to life imprisonment as he was too young to be hung.
-The assassination sent shockwaves throughout Europe and triggered the Alliance system, which eventually started WW1.
When was the exact day Franz Ferdinand was assassinated?
-28th June 1914.
What happened about a month after the assassination?
-AH sent a list of demands to Serbia, with the support of Germany.
What did AHs demands to Serbia contain and how did Serbia react?
-The demands required Serbia to take full responsibility for the assassination and to get rid of any Anti-Austrian groups while being supervised by AH police.
-Serbia were given 48 hours to respond.
-The King of Serbia agreed to all of the demands except allowing the presence of AH police in his country.
What did AH do after hearing the King Of Serbia’s decision with their demands?
-They broke off all contact with them and began preparing for war.
What happened on 28th July 1914?
AH declares war on Serbia and begins to bomb Serbia’s capital, Belgrade.
29th July 1914?
Russian army mobilises and prepare to go to Serbia’s aid.
30th July 1914?
-Germanys alliance with AH is triggered and the German Kaiser calls for the Russian Tsar to back down.
1st August 1914?
-The Tsar refuses and Germany declares war on Russia.
-The French prepare to join on Russia’s side.
2nd August 1914?
-Germany prepares to carry out the Schlieffen plan and sends troops to Belgium borders.
-Belgium refuses to let the troops pass through to get to France.
3rd August 1914?
-Germany declares war on France and invades Belgium.
-Triggered the 1839 treaty Britain had with Belgium and the British send a message asking the Germans to withdraw.
4th August 1914?
-Germany ignores the message and Britain declares war on Germany.
5th August 1914?
-France declares war on Germany
6th August 1914
-AH declares war on Russia.
-All the main powers except Italy are at war with eachother in just over a week.
What is the timeline from the July Crisis to 6th August?
-AH give Serbia list of demands
-They accept all but AH having police in Serbia
-AH cuts all communication and prepares for war
-28th July 1914, AH declares war on Serbia
-29th July, Russia gets troops ready to help Serbia against AH
-30th July, alliance activates between Germany and AH. Kasier calls Tsar to back down
-1st August, Tsar refuses and Germany declares war on Russia. French then prepare to help Russia
-2nd August, Germans prepare for Schlieffen plan and send troops to Belgium border. Belgium refuses to let them get to France through their country.
-3rd August, Germany declares war on France and goes through Belgium. Old 19th Century treaty with British is activated and Brits ask Kaiser to stand down.
-4th August, The Kaiser ignores and Britain declare war on Germany
-5th August, France declares war on Germany
-6th August, AH declares war on Russia.
