The First World War: Background Causes, Immediate Causes and Interpretation

Question 1

Define militarism

Answer 1

a political, diplomatic, and social emphasis on military matters

Question 2

Define deterrence

Answer 2

idea where the larger a country’s military, the less likely other countries would be to attack

Question 3

Describe Britain and German naval race

Answer 3

British Royal Navy launched the revolutionary HMS Dreadnought; Germany wanted to compete (2nd Naval Law of 1900) creating arms race

Question 4

What were the purpose of military service laws?

Answer 4

to increase the number of people in the army in the event of war

Question 5

How did militarism contribute to WWI?

Answer 5

growing militaries engender suspicion and fear in rival states

Question 6

Define industrialization

Answer 6

a period of massive increase in industrial output in the second half of the 19th century

Question 7

What created competitive economic tension?

Answer 7

increase in production was not uniform across powers: iron and steel production increased in US and Germany; decreased in UK

Question 8

Define neo-mercantilism

Answer 8

an economic doctrine that emphasizes the need to decrease imports by moving towards self-sufficiency; requires an increase in colonial holdings to supply raw materials and provide markets for finished goods

Question 9

What led to connection between economic rivalry and military rivalry?

Answer 9

to protect and increase trade, countries needed powerful militaries

Question 10

What are the Balkans?

Answer 10

region centered around Serbia whose inhabitants are broadly known as Slavs

Question 11

What led to Balkan Wars in 1911?

Answer 11

The Balkans was dangerously volatile as the three powers surrounding them wanted them and many though they collectively could be the Greater Serbia or Yugoslavia

Question 12

Who formed the Balkan League and who did they go to war with?

Answer 12

Serbia; Turkey

Question 13

What four countries were part of the Balkan League?

Answer 13

Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Greece

Question 14

What did the Balkan League win after the Balkan Wars and what country did they go to>

Answer 14

Albania and Macedonia; Bulgaria

Question 15

What happened in and after the second Balkan War?

Answer 15

Serbia beat Bulgaria in 1913 for Albania; Austria-Hungary thwarted Serbia’s plans and Albania became the Independent Kingdom of Albania

Question 16

Define imperialism

Answer 16

a set of actions and policies by which a national group dominates another national group and its territory

Question 17

Define nationalism

Answer 17

an emotional attachment people have for their country and its desire for its political independence

Question 18

Who led the Berlin Conference (1885) and what was its purpose?

Answer 18

Bismarck laid rules for claiming and exploiting Africa in hopes to discourage disagreements (to protect Germany from being dragged to war)

Question 19

What is Weltpolitik and who adopted it?

Answer 19

(world policy) the foreign policy adopted by Germany at the end of the 19th century by which she sought to assert her influence around the globe; German kaiser Wilheim II

Question 20

Define alliance system

Answer 20

system of agreements, treaties, and joint movements among countries

Question 21

How did alliances contribute to WWI?

Answer 21

increase tension and suspicion of the great powers

Question 22

What are other names for WWI? (2)

Answer 22

“Great War”, “powder keg”

Question 23

What two empires were destroyed during WWI?

Answer 23

Hapsburgs and Ottoman

Question 24

What is realpolitik and who stressed it?

Answer 24

“the politics of reality”; policies of nations that consider only their own interests in dealing with other countries “the end justified means”; German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck

Question 25

Who was part of the Triple Alliance? (1882)

Answer 25

Germany, Australia, and Italy

Question 26

Describe the Three Emperors League

Answer 26

formed in 1873 with Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia; Russia leaves in 1878 over anger in Russo-Turkish War because they lost most of land gained after war at Berlin Congress (at which Bismarck presiding officer); reformed in 1881 with Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary as members

Question 27

Describe Dual Alliance (1879)

Answer 27

between Germany and Austria-Hungary; have backs if Russia attacks

Question 28

Describe Reinsurance Treaty (1887)

Answer 28

between Russia and Germany; assured Russia’s neutrality in case Germany was attacked by France

Question 29

Define “splendid isolation”

Answer 29

the term used to describe the general course of English foreign policy in the second half of the 19th century, exhibited in a refusal to conclude long-term international alliances.

Question 30

Describe the Entente Cordiale and its transformation

Answer 30

Entente Cordiale 1904 between Britain and France; becomes Anglo-Russian Entente 1907 between Britain, France, Russia’ becomes Triple Entente between Britain, France, Russia