Chapter 6 - Evolving Alliances

• What alliances already existed?

  The Triple Entente (AH, Germany and Italy) and the Franco-Russian agreement
• Why did Britain abandon their policy of Splendid Isolation?

  Focusing on its empire and avoiding the entanglement of European alliances was looking less beneficial to its politicians - a decline in world trade and industrial production coupled with frequent disputes over colonial territories made the avoidance of binding agreements with other powers seem increasingly risky
• How did the British experience in the Boer War become a catalyst for the abandonment of Splendid Isolation?

  It had exposed the weaknesses and inefficiencies of the British Army and made alliances appear more useful
• What was the British attitude to an alliance with Germany?

  Powerful voices preferred an agreement with Germany - Queen Victoria (grandmother to the Kaiser), the PM Lord Salisbury, and the Secretary of State for the Colonies Joseph Chamberlain were all in favour. However, Britain was reluctant to join the Triple Alliance as its ministers foresaw the potential for conflict between AH and Russia in the Balkans
• What was Germany's attitude to an alliance with Britain?


  The German response to an alliance with Britain was lukewarm
• What was the result of the Moroccan Crises 1905 and 1908-11?


  The 1904 Anglo-French alliance became more firmly defined
• What had been agreed at the 1880 Madrid Conference?

  All major European countries and the USA agreed that all powers had equal trading rights in Morocco
• What had been occurring since the Madrid Conference?

  French and German traders were active in Morocco and hoped to gain a more secure political influence there too, which would undermine the Madrid agreements
• What happened in January 1905?

  A French delegation travelled to meet with the Moroccan Sultan with the aim of persuading him to agree to a series of reforms - this had been approved by Britain, however, Germany feared that Morocco would become a French protectorate like Tunisia had in 1881, which it feared would threaten the interests of German merchants in the region
• How did Kaiser Wilhelm II respond to the French interests in Morocco?

  Sailed into the Moroccan capital, Tangiers, whilst on a Mediterranean cruise on 31st March 1905 "in support of German business interests" there. He gave speeches recognising the Moroccan Sultan as an independent ruler and questioned the leaked agreements between France and Britain. He hoped that this would persuade the French to back down and show Britain how weak their new ally was and to signal that this friendship would lead them into imperial disputes
• What did Wilhelm's response provoke?

  A crisis between France and Germany and to a lesser extent, Britain, as Wilhelm's speeches suggested to the French that he would help the Moroccans resist French domination, which would lead to conflict between France and Germany if left unresolved, and drawing in Great Power allies
• How did Britain feel about the situation?

  Britain was outraged at the impertinence of the German government, with the British Ambassador to Paris telling the French that the Germans would live to regret the incident, signifying a shift in relations between the three powers. The British King, Edward VII, had always found his nephew, Wilhelm, highly irritating, publicly branded the Kaiser "mischievous" and his actions a "political theatrical fiasco", saying "if he thinks he has done himself good in the eyes of the world, he is very much mistaken"
• Why did Declasse have to resign as French FM in 1905?

  He urged France to resist Germany's demands in Morocco, but his colleagues favoured a more conciliatory approach - whilst they were not willing to fully concede, they realised that a war with Germany at this stage could leave them without Russian support as the Russo-Japanese war was still waging in the spring. Therefore, to placate the Germans, the French forced Declasse to resign
• What happened after Declasse resigned?

  An international conference in Algeciras, Spain, was agreed to, giving the impression that Germany's coup d'état of Morocco had succeeded
• What happened at the Algeciras Conference January 1906-March 1906?


  The British, Russians, Italians, Spanish and Americans all supported France's claims, meaning that Germany's only ally was AH, leading to Germany experiencing a major diplomatic defeat.
• How did Kaiser Wilhelm II feel about the outcomes of the Algeciras conference?

  He was deeply frustrated, believing that he had been treated disrespectfully by the other powers - its key aim of getting Britain to reconsider the Anglo-French entente failed, meaning that German intervention in Morocco had been a disaster
• What happened in Britain in 1906 which shaped their stance at the Algeciras conference?


  A Liberal Government came into power and Edward Grey, the new FM, was very suspicious of Germany, advocating total support for France during the conference, even when French delegates seemed unreasonable - the Anglo-French entente remained firm
• What was agreed at Algeciras?

  France would be allowed extensive control over the Moroccan police and state bank. Germany had to be satisfied with the reaffirmed guarantees of freedom for all powers to trade in the region, and the independence of the Moroccan Sultan
• How did the Algeciras conference impact German foreign policy?

  Wilhelm II's fears were increased, discouraging Germany from using international conferences as a means of settling disputes, and Germany's fear of encirclement by hostile powers increased as Russia and Britain came together in their agreement in 1907, and although this agreement provided no guarantee of military support, Britain was far less likely to support any German foreign policy against Russia
• Why has Alan J.P. Taylor questioned the importance of the Algeciras conference?

  The British had made no military preparations to back the French and subsequent military talks were ineffectual, meaning that there was no solid agreement against Germany
• How did the French provoke a renewed crisis in Morocco in 1911?


  They sent troops to the new Moroccan capital, Fez, to help the Sultan and defeat some local rebel tribesmen allegedly, but Germany claimed that the French had breached the earlier agreements
• How did the Germans react to the actions taken by the French in 1911?

  In an extreme manner - sent the gun boat "Panther" to the Moroccan port Agadir, docking on 1st July 1911 to "protect German interests" at the command of nationalistic German FM Alfred von Kiderlen-Wachter, who had connections with the Pan-German League and wanted to establish a greater German presence in North Africa
• How did Britain respond to Germany's sending of the "Panther"?

  Alarmed by the potential threat to Gibraltar, and on 21st July 1911, British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lloyd George, gave a pointed speech at the Mansion House indicating Britain's desire for stability in Morocco, supporting France and reaffirming the entente
• What did Germany gain after they backed down?

  A compromise of Germany receiving territory in the French Congo was agreed as compensation
• When did the French make Morocco their protectorate formally?

  March 1912
• What were the consequences of the Second Moroccan Crisis for France?

  More nationalistic politicians gained power, destroying the elements favourable to a compromise with Germany, such as the anti-German Raymond Poincare becoming PM. From 1912, Britain and France began a series of military conventions, starting with a naval agreement in March 1912 whereby Britain allowed the French navy to dominate the Mediterranean whilst Britain would look after Gibraltar and the North Sea
• What did Italy do in 1911 which encouraged the Balkan states to seek more power, which led to WW1?

  Copied the French example by attacking Turkish Tripoli unprovoked