To What Extent Was Germany Responsible for WWI? Controversy 1

Question 0

Europe slithered into war - July crisis 1914

Answer 0

Germany offered unconditional support through the ‘blank cheque’ to Austria, Austria issued Serbia an ultimatum, Russia and France supported Serbia, Austria declared war on Serbia, the Schlieffen plan was put into operation, Germany invaded neutral Belgium, and declared war on France, Britain declared war on Germany and Austria declared war on Russia.

Question 1

‘Europe slithered into war’- David Lloyd George

Answer 1

All the great powers ‘slithered over the brink into the boiling cauldron of fire’. They were all to blame and this resulted from the desire of the German authorities to push the blame onto others.

Question 2

Aggressive foreign policy - Fischer 1961

Answer 2

Germany had gone to war to achieve European and worldwide domination. Germany had hoped that the ‘blank cheque’ would result in war.

Question 3

Fischer’s evidence

Answer 3

Partly on a document written by Riezler in which he outlines the chancellors plans for peace negotiations. Fischer argues these annexations were the continuation of plans made before the outbreak of the war.

Question 4

Evidence for aggressive foreign policy: reassurance treaty

Answer 4

In March 1890 Wilhelm II refused to renew the reassurance treaty between Germany and Russia. Instead Schlieffen started developing his ‘plan’ which meant Germany could fight a war on two fronts. France was expected to fall in 6 weeks.

Question 5

Evidence for aggressive foreign policy: its failure

Answer 5

The reality as that they did not achieve much new territory. They had not gained their ‘place in the sun’.

Question 6

Fear of encirclement

Answer 6

The war started because of a sense of encirclement in Germany, between 1909 and 1914 foreign policy was obsessively focussed on the need to break this encirclement.

Question 7

Evidence for fear of encirclement: the first Moroccan crisis 1905-1906

Answer 7

Germans demanded an international conference to discuss the future of Morocco, hoping to drive a wedge between Britain and France, but their attempts just drove them closer, also Germany failed to prise the Russians away from their treaty with France.
The whole episode was humiliating for Germany and the fear of encirclement was very real.

Question 8

Evidence for fear of encirclement: the second Moroccan Crisis 1911

Answer 8

1911 there were disruptions in Fez which led to french military intervention - Germans claimed this went against their agreement and sent a gunboat. Germany attempts to bully France into giving them the Congo in return for abandoning their interest in Morocco, they gained two strips of land in the Congo. The whole episode has resulted in more political tension.

Question 9

Evidence for aggressive foreign policy: the Balkans war 1912

Answer 9

Balkan league formed of Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia - Russia was determined to back the league whereas Austria felt that the fall of the Ottoman Empire would be fatal because of the possible growth of Serbia. Austrian military led by General Hotzendorff wanted war to crush Serbia. Foreign minister Berchtold was more cautious , tying in with Germany’s more conciliatory approach. Interests of Russia and Austria had been protected at treaty of London this led to discontent for the victors over the spoils which led to war

Question 10

Balkans war: the treaty of London 1913 and the army bill 1913.

Answer 10

Ended the conflict but Germany became more concerned that they were being encircled, the Slav threat provoked the army bill of 1913 which increased the size of their army.

Question 11

Evidence for military decisions: 1890 Reassurance treaty

Answer 11

Wilhelm II refused to renew the Reassurance treaty with Russia. Instead they indicated a stronger relationship with Austria whilst the Schlieffen plan ensued that Germany could fight a war on two fronts, by defeating France before Russia could mobilise.

Question 12

Evidence for military decisions: 1912 War council meeting

Answer 12

It insisted that Austria-Hungary should be supported in her war against Serbia, that it was not a problem if Russia decided to fight. Von Tirpitz, during the meeting said “should we speed up (the outbreak of war) or attempt to delay it?”

Question 13

Bethmann quote about German support for Austria

Answer 13

“She (Austria) could count with certainty upon it that Germany would stand behind her ally”

Question 14

What did weltpolitik actually achieve?

Answer 14

German done mic influence extended to South Africa, the Chinese port of Kiaochow as a naval base and some islands in the Pacific.

Question 15

Did weltpolitik alienate Britain - end of British isolation?

Answer 15

Bulow and Holstein believed that Germany keeping a ‘free hand’ from commitments with other powers was consistent with weltpolitik - they assumed Britain would remain at loggerheads with France and Russia. It would have been naive for Germany to have an alliance with Britain as it would alienate Russia.

Question 16

Bulow quote in the reichstag

Answer 16

“We have to put no one in the shade, but too demand our place in the sun”

Question 17

Kaiser quote about weltpolitik

Answer 17

“Germany has great tasks to accomplish outside of Europe”

Question 18

Germany’s aggressive relations with the British

Answer 18

In 1896 the Kaiser antagonised the British by congratulating president Kruger of South Africa of the defeat of the British raiders. After this a series of navy laws were a direct challenge to British supremacy which led to a naval race. Relations were further worsened by the German support for the Boers in the Boer war.

Question 19

The 1912 Haldane mission

Answer 19

Lord Haldane travelled to Germany in the hope of improving relations. The Germans would only agree to limit fleet expansion if the British agreed to neutrality in any future European war.

Question 20

The alliance system (and arms race) - triple alliance

Answer 20

Between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy…
In 1882 it was agreed that:
1) If anyone one of them was attacked they would lend assistance.
2) If France attacked Germany, Italy would support them.
3) If Italy was attacked by France, both Germany and Austria-Hungary would back Italy.

Question 21

The Arms Race

Answer 21

At the turn of 19th century the alliance system grew in conjunction with the arms build-up. From the 1890s the military budgets of the great powers rose and in the 3 years leading up to 1914 concerns about military strategy increased expenditure. Germany realised it could never really win the arms race in 1912.

Question 22

How did the Balkan war change the international atmosphere?

Answer 22

Turkey lost nearly all its territory, Serbia had doubled in size, Russia won a diplomatic victory from Serbia’s military victory, Austria felt threatened by expansionist Serbia.

Question 23

The Schlieffen plan

Answer 23

All out assault on the western front in order to defeat France before Russia could mobilise. It involved going through neutral Belgium to encircle to Paris the hope was to defeat France in 6 weeks.

Question 24

What did the Schlieffen plan fail to acknowledge?

Answer 24

The consequences of violating neutral Belgium which had been promised by the British in 1839. This meant that Britain would definitely join the war. Germany ignored the ultimatum from Britain and so war was declared on the 4th August 1914