Alliance system 1905-14

• Who were the members of the triple alliance?

  Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
• What were the other alliances in 1905? (Britain, France, Russia)

  • Franco-Russian Alliance
  • Entente Cordiale
• When was the Triple Entente formed?

  1907
• Features of the alliance system:

  • Made to protect themselves against their rivals
  • Allied with countries that had similar aims and beliefs
  • Increased tensions as it created a divide between the two alliances
• When was the Schlieffen plan made?

  December 1905
• What was the first battleship and when was it built?

  HMS Dreadnought - 1906
• What was the aim of the Schlieffen plan?

  To avoid war on two fronts, to invade France quickly
• What did the Schlieffen plan rely on?

  • Russia taking 6 weeks to mobilise
  • Belgium wouldn't resist the Germans
  • France would surrender
• Features of the naval race:

  • Germany believed it had to challenge the British Navy to get a large empire
  • Britain wanted to remain the most powerful country, with the largest navy
  • Britain and Germany competed in making new battleships
  • Between 1906-14, Britain built 29 Dreadnoughts, Germany built 17
  • Hundreds of men in both countries were recruited to be sailors on new battleships
• How many colonies did Britain have in 1914?

  56, population of 390 million