Topic 1 The Origins of the First World War Flashcards
1
Q
What was the Triple Alliance?
A
- Defensive Alliance
- Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy
- Promised to fight if any attacked by any other 2 powers
2
Q
Who formed the Triple Alliance and why
A
- German Chancellor Bismarck
- Realised France would want revenge after losing the Franco-Prussian War
3
Q
When was the Franco-Prussian War?
A
1870-71
4
Q
When was the Dual Alliance signed and who with?
A
1879 - Germany and Austria-Hungary
5
Q
When was the Triple Alliance signed?
A
1882 - Italy joined
6
Q
Why was the Triple Alliance signed?
A
- Signed after France’s defeat in Franco-Prussian War
- Alsace-Lorraine provinces taken from France
- Bismarck made alliances to separate France from Russia, isolate France
- Italy and Germany newly formed countries, considered unimportant
7
Q
What were the effects of the Triple Alliance on Europe?
A
- Increased tensions with France (isolated)
- Many countries felt threatened
- Tensions rose
8
Q
What was Splendid Isolation?
A
- The deliberate policy for Britain to stay out of European affairs as long as no single power gained complete control
9
Q
What did Splendid Isolation depend on?
A
- Biggest navy in the world to protect and communicate with Britain’s empire
10
Q
When was the Boer Wars?
A
1899
11
Q
What was the Boer War?
A
- Britain fighting against Boers (Dutch farmers) in South Africa
12
Q
What was Europe’s reaction to the Boer War?
A
- Many European countries sympathised with the Boers
- Kaiser made views publically
- However, no European action
13
Q
Why was Splendid Isolation a policy for Britain?
A
- Biggest oversea empire
- Protected by biggest Navy
14
Q
When was the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and why did it allow Splendid Isolation?
A
1902
- No need for an ally in Europe
- Ally in Far East against Russia
15
Q
Why did Britain begin to emerge from Splendid Isolation?
A
- Colonial problems with France and Russia (Franco-Russian Alliance)
- 1899 Boer War
- 1898 and 1902 German build up of navy although having no empire and strongest land army
- 1900-1902 Germany declined naval expansion limiting agreement
16
Q
What was the ‘three power standard’?
A
1902 idea to have British Navy bigger than next 3 largest fleets combined
17
Q
Why was there a ‘three power standard’?
A
- Reaction to Germany’s build up of navy in 1898
18
Q
When was the ‘three power standard’ completed?
A
1904
19
Q
What was the Triple Entente?
A
A set of an alliance and two agreements between France, Britain and Russia:
- Franco-Russian Alliance
- Entente Cordiale
- Anglo-Russian Agreement
20
Q
What was the Franco-Russian Alliance?
A
- Defensive alliance
- France and Russia
- To fight if either attacked by Germany or Austria-Hungary
21
Q
Why was the Franco-Russian Alliance an unlikely alliance?
A
Different rules of country:
- Autocratic Tsar of Russia
- People’s Republic of France
22
Q
When was the Franco-Russian Alliance signed?
A
1894
23
Q
How long did it take to negotiate the Franco-Russian Alliance and why?
A
- 2 years to negotiate a treaty
- Reluctant allies
24
Q
Why did France sign the Franco-Russian Alliance?
A
- Lost provinces Alsace-Lorraine, payed 5 billion Francs (£200 million) in reparations at Treaty of Frankfurt to Prussia
25
When was the Treaty of Frankfurt?
1871
26
Why did Russia sign the Franco-Russian Alliance?
- Preferred to ally with Germany, Kaiser wasn't interested
| - Alliance strengthened after France loaned money for development in railway in Russia
27
What was the effect of the Franco-Russian Alliance on Europe?
- Surrounded Triple Alliance
- Germany two frontiers to fight
- Increased tension, balance of power shift
- France can attack
28
What was the Entente Cordiale?
- Friendly agreement
- France and Britain
- To solve problems with their Empires
29
When was the Entente Cordiale signed?
1904
30
What were the terms of the Entente Cordiale?
- France to allow Britain to reform in Egypt
| - Britain promised not to oppose French action in Morocco
31
Why was the Entente Cordiale signed?
- Britain worried about German Navy
- Germany didn't want to ally with France nor Britain
- Sorted out colonial problems
32
What was the effect of the Entente Cordiale on Europe?
- Encouraged French expansion in Morocco
- Anglo-French relations closer after 1904
- Kaiser Wilhelm || was suspicious, determined to break it
- Looked like Britain had abandoned Splendid Isolation and joined France
33
What was the Anglo-Russian Agreement?
- Agreement, not a military alliance
- Britain and Russia
- To solve several oversea problems such as with Persia and Tibet
34
When was the Anglo-Russian Agreement signed?
1907 after Moroccan Crisis
35
Why was the Anglo-Russian Agreement signed?
- France used influence to bring them together
36
What was the effect of the Anglo-Russian Agreement on Europe?
- Increased tension
| - Germany felt threatened, 'Einkreisungspolitik'
37
Why did the Anglo-Russian Agreement increase tensions?
- The terms of the agreement were secret
38
Why was the Triple Entente called a 'Einkreisungspolitik'?
- Germany believed the Triple Entente was a policy of encirclement against Germany ('Einkreisungspolitik')
39
What does 'Einkreisungspolitik' mean?
- Policy of encirclement
40
What does 'Weltpolitik' mean?
- World policy
41
What is 'Weltpolitik'?
- A phrase used to describe Kaiser Wihelm 11 desire to be a major player in world affairs
42
Why does Kaiser Wilhelm 11 want 'weltpolitik'?
- Wanted to make Germany the greatest nation in the world
| - Wanted Germany to be respected and great
43
What is meant by a 'place in the sun'?
- Kaiser Wilhelm's determination to expand the German Empire
| - Jealous of the wealth, power and prestige of Britain
44
What was Kaiser Wilhelm's attitude to Britain?
- Jealous of prestige, wealth, power and prestige of the British Empire
45
When did Germany start building up it's Navy?
1898
46
What happened in 1906?
- Britain launched its first dreadnought
47
What was the importance of dreadnoughts?
- Dreadnoughts were faster and had longer-ranged guns than the older ships
- Power of navies now depended on the amount of dreadnoughts each country had
48
What was the significance of dreadnoughts to Britain?
- Britain's supremacy at sea was based on the older ships so it's advantage had been reduced
49
How many dreadnoughts did Britain and German have in 1909?
Britain - made 2, total 8
| Germany - made 3, total 7
50
How many dreadnoughts did Britain and Germany have in 1911?
Britain - made 5, total 16
| Germany - made 3, total 11
51
How many dreadnoughts did Britain and Germany have in 1914?
Britain - total 27
| Germany - total 17
52
When was the Moroccan Crisis?
1905-06
53
What happened in 1905 to do with the Moroccan Crisis?
Kaiser Wilhelm visited Morocco to influence North Africa:
- Rode on streets of Tangier with military band and Moroccan troops
- Announced German support for independent Morocco open to peaceful competition for all nations
- Called for an international conference
54
What happened in 1906 to do with the Moroccan Crisis?
International Conference at Algeciras, Southern Spain:
- Britain and Russia supported France
- Only Austria-Hungary supported Germany
- France given joint control over Moroccan police with Spain
- Kaiser Wilhelm was humiliated
55
Why did Kaiser Wilhelm do what he did in the Moroccan Crisis?
- Dramatic gesture to prevent France from getting Morocco
- Tested the strength of the Entente Cordiale
- Wanted influence over North Africa
56
How did the Moroccan Crisis affect the Entente Cordiale?
- France more confident of Britain's support
- Britain took more interest in European affairs
- Kaiser attempt to break the Agreement backfired, strengthened relations
- Britain began secret military talks with France
57
What was the effect of the Moroccan Crisis on the Triple Alliance?
- Austria-Hungary backed Germany, stronger relations
58
How did the Moroccan Crisis affect Anglo-German rivalry?
- Intensified as the Kaiser blamed Britain for the defeat
59
When was the Bosnian Crisis?
1908-09
60
What happened in 1908 to do with the Bosnian Crisis?
Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia:
- Revolution in Turkey
- Bosnia, one of the small Slav states in the Balkans
- Serbia appealed for Russia to support Greater Serbia
- Russia supported Serbia so backed Serbia's demands for an international conference
61
What happened in the international conference in the Bosnian Crisis?
International conference:
- Wilhelm annoyed with Austria-Hungary's actions but still supported
- Russia too weak to fight, backed down
- Bosnia allowed to annex Austria-Hungary
62
Why did Austria-Hungary annex Bosnia?
- Austria-Hungary's Empire was made up of several different races
- Worried that the Slavs would unite under Serbia would cause the break up of the Empire, Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia
63
How did the Bosnian affect the Triple alliance?
- Full support from Germany strengthened relations
| - Italy did not like Austria-Hungary expansion into the Balkans, weakened relations
64
How did the Bosnian Crisis affect the Triple Entente?
- Russia's humiliation led to closer relations with France and Britain
- Russia made military improvements
- Serbia determined to oppose Austria-Hungary, looked to Russia for full support
