Session 1

• It was the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand which ignited the First World War on 28 June 1914
• MAIN


  Acronym to remember the key causes of the war
• Militarism


  • European countries increased the size of their armed forces, especially Germany and Britain
  • New deadlier weapons were developed such as poison gas, aircraft and machine guns
• Alliances


  • As tensions increased, countries formed agreements with other countries vowing to support one another in the event of war
• Imperialism


  • Empires had been a feature of European nations since the 16th century
  • There was a great expansion of European imperialism in the late 19th century in Africa - the scramble for Africa
  • Competition to gain the best territories was high
• Nationalism


  • Patriotic and nationalist sentiments became increasingly common in many European countries in the early 20th century, particularly in Britain and Germany
  • Many were eager to prove that they were the greatest country
• The Triple Alliance


  • austria-hungary, germany, italy
  • Formed: 1882
• The Triple Entente


  • britain, france, russia
  • Formed: 1907
• Germany


  • Only became a unified nation following the Franco-Prussian War in 1871
  • Fearful of a future French attack, Germany formed an alliance with Austria-Hungary
  • Germany's ruler from 1890, Kaiser Wilhelm II, vowed to make Germany a world power to rival Britain and France
  • A new navy was created and the Kaiser sought ways to expand Germany's colonial possessions in Africa
  • France's formation of an alliance with Russia in 1892 and their increasingly close relations in the later 19th century worried Germany - they feared encirclement
• Austria-Hungary


  • The central European empire contained a complex mix of different ethnicities such as Germans, Serbs, Czechs and Slovaks
  • Keeping the empire together was an increasingly difficult task
  • Serbia, just over the border, became more powerful during this time following the Balkan Wars, which increased tensions
  • Serbia was supported by a powerful ally - Russia
• Italy


  • Much like Germany, Italy had only been unified in 1871
  • However, unlike Germany, it was not militarily or industrially strong
  • They were very much the minor partner
• Britain


  • Since Britain's victory in the Napoleonic wars, Britain had adopted a policy of splendid isolation
  • The Entente Cordiale was signed between Britain and France in 1904 to settle disputes between their North African colonies
  • Russia was seen as less of a threat after their defeat by Japan in 1905
  • Ultimately, Britain saw the growing power of Germany as a serious threat to itself and their empire
  • Neither of Britain's agreements committed them to military action, but it would have seemed very unlikely for Britain not to support its allies
• France


  • Defeated by Germany in 1870, concerned ever since then of a future conflict
  • Signed a military alliance with Russia in 1892 which aimed to protect one another against Germany
  • Desired the return of Alsace-Lorraine, which had been taken by Germany in 1870
• Russia


  • A vast country with a very primitive industry, with most of the economy based on agriculture
  • Felt most threatened by Austria-Hungary, although increasingly concerned by Germany as well
  • Suffered a series of internal problems resulting in revolution in 1905, although Tsar Nicholas II survived
• The Moroccan Crises: 1905 and 1911


  • Many European nations, although principally Britain and France, had gathered African nations into their empires during the scramble for Africa in the late 19th century
  • Kaiser Wilhelm II was eager to add to Germany's colonies in Africa and knew that to do this he would have to take on Britain and France
  • In 1905 Wilhelm arrived in Tangiers, Morocco, where he spoke publicly in favour of Moroccan independence
  • A conference was held in Algeciras, Spain, in 1906 where Britain backed France, leaving the Kaiser humiliated and weakened
  • In 1911, France decided to send in their army to formally take control of Morocco
  • Germany was furious and sent a gunboat, the Panther, to Agadir, Morocco
  • Once again a conference was held and once again Britain and France stood together against Germany
• The Moroccan Crises show us that the Entente Cordiale between Britain and France was strong, and that Germany under Kaiser Wilhelm II desired colonies in Africa
• The Balkans Wars: 1912 and 1913


  • The Balkans, an area of South-Eastern Europe, was a notoriously unstable area
  • In 1908 Austria-Hungary added the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina to its empire, which Russia and Serbia both spoke out against but Germany vowed to back Austria-Hungary
  • In 1912 the Balkan League (Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Serbia) defeated the Ottomans in just six weeks
  • In 1913, a Second Balkan War took place, with Bulgaria fighting against the rest of the Balkan League, and Serbia gaining even more land
  • Serbia became the dominant power in the Balkans following the wars, which greatly annoyed Austria-Hungary