WW1 Summarisation

Question 1

When did the Franco-Prussian war occur?

Answer 1

July 18 1870 - January 28 1871

Question 2

What reasons did Prussia have to engage with France in war?

Answer 2

Germany was not a united nation. Prussia wanted to unite the Southern and Northern states of Germany. A war would provide ample reason for the states to unite and form Germany.

Question 3

What reasons did France have to go to war with Prussia?

Answer 3

Geographically, France has enemies all around. On one side of its border, Spain, and on another, potentially Prussia. If Prussia united, it would pose a big threat to France. It would pose an even bigger threat if it allied with Spain. France could face a war on two fronts if Prussia united.

Question 4

Who was the initiator of the Franco-Prussia war? How did they initiate the war?

Answer 4

Otto von Bismark altered a telegram sent by Wilhelm I, making it sound as if the French diplomat was insulted by the King.

Question 5

What were the three main battles and engagements of the Franco-Prussian War? What were their dates?

Answer 5

The Siege of Metz. August 17 to October 27.
The Battle of Sedan. September 1-2.
The Siege of Paris. September 19 to January 28.

Question 6

Aftermath: What were the French Losses after the Franco-Prussian war?

Answer 6

The French lost Alsace-Lorraine to Germany. And were forced to give a sum of 5 billion Francs to Germany over the period of 5 years. The French Professional army was destroyed. And its army was revealed as poorly equipped and its general incompetent.

French national pride was hurt and France was humiliated.

France also had to recognise the new German state under the leadership of Kaiser Wilhelm I.

Question 7

Aftermath: What did Germany gain after the Franco-Prussian War?

Answer 7

Peace treaty. Germany gains Alsace-Lorraine and a payment of 5 billion Francs over the course of five years. Prussia also becomes the dominant state in the German Empire. Bismark emerges out of the conflict a powerful European statesman. The German Empire (The second Reich) has been created and is now the most feared army in Europe.

Question 8

When was the Schlieffen Plan created? And by who?

Answer 8

It was drawn up in 1897 by Alfred von Schlieffen.

Question 9

What was the Schlieffen Plan?

Answer 9

It was Germany’s battle plan if and when they would go to war. The plan was to quickly conquer France and then attack Russia before they mobilised.

Question 10

When and what was the German Navy Laws?

Answer 10

The first navy law (1898) ordered the making of 19 German battleships.

The second (1900), another 38.

Question 11

Why and when did the British build the Dreadnought? What is it?

Answer 11

The Dreadnought was built in response to Germany’s rapid naval expansion. British politicians were worried, so they ordered the building of the Dreadnought, the most powerful battleship ever built. It was launched in 1906, and it instantly made all other types of ship out of date.

Question 12

What was the name of Germany’s equivalent to the British Dreadnought?

Answer 12

The Rheinland.

Question 13

What alliances were present in World War I? And what countries made them up?

Answer 13

The Triple entente (Britain, France and Russia) and the Triple alliance (Germany, Austro-Hungary and Italy).

Question 14

Which terrorist group plotted to kill Archduke Franz-Ferdinand? Why and when was it formed?

Answer 14

The Black Hand. Made up of Serbians who were resentful about the annexation of Bosnia from Austro-Hungary. It was formed in 1908.

Question 15

Who were the main plotters of the Black Hand?

Answer 15

Princip and Cabrinovic.

Question 16

When did Franz Ferdinand die? Who killed him?

Answer 16

Franz Ferdinand was killed by Gavrillo Princip on the 28 of June. 1914.

Question 17

When was the Schlieffen Plan activated?

Answer 17

It was activated on the 3rd of August 1914.

Question 18

Why did Germany travel through Belgium in 1914? What did Britain do? When was the exact date of this exchange?

Answer 18

Germany was planning to surprise attack France by attacking via Belgium. Belgium was against this notion, and Britain came to its aid. (Britain had an old treaty with Belgium, but was also afraid of Germany potential, prompting two major reasons to get involved with the conflict.)

Question 19

When and where was the Somme? Why was it being fought?

Answer 19

The French were getting overrun by the Germans at Verdun. To relieve the French, the British Expediatery force fought the Germans at the River Somme in 1916.

Question 20

Were the British prepared? What was Haig’s outlook?

Answer 20

Haig thought that the British troops needed training and was unprepared for the conflict. Haig also wanted to fight the Germans at Flanders.

Question 21

What was Haig’s strategy for the Somme?

Answer 21

Haig led a massive artillery bombardment, a week before the attack, his aim was to cut the barbed wire across No Man’s Land. The bombardment warned the Germans that the British attack was imminent, it also failed to cut most barbed wire. 2 million British shells were fired in the bombardment, but most of them failed or didn’t work properly.

The infantry was told to walk across No Man’s Land in a straight line slowly. To conserve energy (The British soldiers carried around 60kg worth of kit on their backs.)

Question 22

When did the Somme begin? How long did the Somme last? How many died on the first day?

Answer 22

The Somme began on July 1st 1916. The Somme lasted 141 days, 60,000 British soldiers died.

Question 23

When did the Battle of Passchendaele start and end?

Answer 23

The battle of Passchendaele: 31 July 1917 – 10 November 1917

Question 24

What were the losses of the First World War?

Answer 24

616, 382 British Service men were killed.

40 percent of all British Merchant shipping had been destroyed by German submarines.

Railways and coal mines were handed back to their owners. Who reduced wagers for the workers. In 1926, there was a general miner strike against the low pay.

Question 25

What were the gains of the First World War?

Answer 25

Medicine advanced quickly. X- rays, blood transfusions and plastic surgery was all developed during the war.

The Macroni company made thousands of radios called wirelesses. The company then began to sell wirelesses for people to use in their homes.