The Decision to go to War in 1914

Question 1

Name the Five key factors that influenced the British Government in deciding to go to war in 1914.

Answer 1

War in defence of Belgium, The July Crisis and Balkan Nationalism, The alliance system and Balance of Power, German militarism and Rivalry; Domestic pressures.

Question 2

Name a notable historian who supported the general interwar years belief that Britain’s declaration of war was because of its obligation to Belgian neutrality.

Answer 2

A. J. P. Taylor

Question 3

Why did Sir Edward Grey and other leading Ministers support the idea of entry into war in favour of defending Belgium so much? Two reasons.

Answer 3

one: legitimised British Entry
two: allowed the war to be portrayed as a defence of the weak against german aggression.

Question 4

What argument did liberal radicals of the British cabinet suggest was actually Grey’s primary reason for entering the war?

Answer 4

Grey was exploiting the Belgian cause in order to maintain and influence the European balance of power

Question 5

What is a Casus Belli? Who called British protection of Belgian neutrality this?

Answer 5

an act or situation that provokes or justifies war, David Lloyd George

Question 6

What was the July Crisis?

Answer 6

The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on 28th June. Set into to motion a series of events that led to WWI as it provoked already existing Balkan instability.

Question 7

What is Historian Chris Clark’s argument for suggesting the July Crisis caused British entry in the war?

Answer 7

The failure to localize the crisis is what made the situation so important to the Great powers.

Question 8

Why does James Joll believe that WWI became inevitable?

Answer 8

Because Germany backed the Austrian ultimatum against Russia participating in the conflict. Joll believes that this factor made war inevitable.

Question 9

What is Neilson and Clark’s Argument for British entry into the war?

Answer 9

The failure to contain Balkan nationalism and the regional rivalry of Austrian and Russia was to significant to European and British security for Grey to avert entry into the war.

Question 10

Which Country to Grey consistently find an affinity with against Germany? name three officials of the foreign office that encouraged this sentiment

Answer 10

A. France B. Arthure Nicolson, Eyre Crow, Charles Hardinge

Question 11

When were the French and Russian ententes formalised?

Answer 11

France: Entente Cordiale, 1904 Russia: Anglo-Russian entente, 1907.

Question 12

Define ‘Tightrope Strategy’.

Answer 12

Edward Grey’s policy toward maintaining the balance of power in Europe, whilst keeping the issue of imperial security within a separate sphere.

Question 13

What happened in 1912 that Brought Britain and France closer together?

Answer 13

The Mediterranean naval agreement.

Question 14

Why did tensions with Russian re-emerge after 1911?

Answer 14

encroachments in Central Asia, Persia and Tibet.

Question 15

What popular historiographical trend is supported by historians such as Paul Kennedy regarding Britain’s entry into the war?

Answer 15

That after 1907, Germany and Britain were set on an unavoidable collision course, that would inevitably lead to war.

Question 16

The Hague Conference (1907), London Conference (1912-13) and the Haldane Commission (1912) all sort to resolve issues related to which two key factors regarding Anglo-German relations?

Answer 16

Naval and colonial issues.

Question 17

What is the general marxist historian’s view of WWI?

Answer 17

That the war was a capitalist conflict designed to secure new markets for imperial powers.

Question 18

What are the three main rivalries linked to that existed between Britain and Germany?

Answer 18

I. Economic II. Colonial III. (military) Naval- Great Naval Arms Race at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Question 19

What two events reflected the British acceptance of Germany as a legitimate colonial power in the years preceding the outbreak of war?

Answer 19

I. co-operation in the Portuguese Colonial crisis (1911) II. Baghdad Railway Agreement (1912)

Question 20

Since the 1960s what has been the predominant view for the outbreak of war in Europe in 1914?

Answer 20

Increasing German militarism and aggression.

Question 21

What was the Schlieffen Plan?

Answer 21

Germany’s military plan that demanded it strike first to gain a decisive advantage and seize the attacking initiative.

Question 22

The most recent reason for the European outbreak of war is a ‘Napoleon Neurosis’. What exactly is this?

Answer 22

The other European powers convinced themselves that the kaiser was a modern day napoleon and must be confronted

Question 23

What does Chris Clark suggest when he writes that Europe was unintentionally ‘sleepwalking into war’?

Answer 23

Lack of planners and decision makers with the foresight to recognise the potential consequences of war

Question 24

Why could domestic pressures be considered as a factor for Britain’s entry into the war?

Answer 24

The British Government used entry to mask and unite the political divisions that existed in Britain at the time such as the issue of Irish home rule, Industrial relations and women’s suffrage. It was also the liberal parties last effort to unify their electoral position

Question 25

why should domestic pressure be given minimum consideration for Britain’s entry into the war?

Answer 25

Grey cited public feeling to justify british actions but it was simply diplomatic manipulation of the facts.

Question 26

Give two reasons why Neutrality for Britain was not a realistic alternative in WWI.

Answer 26

I. Britain’s commitments to its allies (especially France), II. Britain’s reputation as a great power would be destroyed, III. Grey personally believed there was no realistic alternative.