Causes of world war I

Unit #6, The Early 20^th Century – THE WARS

Lesson #1 – THE ROAD TO WAR (CAUSES OF WORLD WAR I)

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I. Growing International Conflict

1. 
   The New Germany
   

2. 
   Bismarck fired
   

3. 
   The Alliances
   

4. 
   Conflicts prior to war
   

II. The Mood of 1914

1. 
   Militarism
   

2. 
   Mobilization
   

3. 
   Brinksmanship
   

III. The Outbreak of War

1. 
   Archduke Frans Ferdinand
   

2. 
   Serbian nationalism
   

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The Balkan Wars of 1912 & 1913 (and the impact)

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3. 
   Reaction to the assassination of 1914
   

4. 
   How a regional conflict came to include Russia and Germany
   

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5. 
   How a four-nation conflict became WWI (by use of the Schlieffen Plan)
   

The changing role of Germany

New German Empire proved itself to be powerful, but peaceful (1870-1890)

Bismarck: the creator of Peace through conferences

1. 
   Berlin Conference of 1878
   

Goal: negotiate peace treaty after Russo-Turkish War, 1875-1876
Russia & Serbia attacked & defeated Ottomans in region, 1876

Result: Treaty of San Stefano, 1878

Russia – took the Dardanelles

Serbia took Bosnia from Ottomans

Other European powers saw this as an upset to Bal. of Power

Bismarck called for a conference –Berlin Conference of 1878

1. 
   Britain got Cyprus
   
2. 
   France was encouraged to occupy Tunisia
   
3. 
   Austria-Hungary got to control Bosnia-Herzegovina
   

4. 
   Russia lost control of Dardanelles
   
5. 
   Serbia lost Bosnia to Austria Hungary
   

Russia resentful – expected support from Germany

Had saved Prussia from Napoleon in 1807

2. 
   BERLIN CONFERENCE OF 1884
   

To prevent war over claiming land in Africa

Bismarck was (again) leader in Europe

Creator of peace
In both cases, GERMANY GOT NOTHING

But, Germany got to prove its clear leadership

Bismarck: the creator of peace through alliances

1. 
   Three Emperor’s League, 1873-1878
   

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia (three conservative nations)

Keep France without allies

Dissolved after Russo-Turkish War

2. 
   Dual Alliance, 1879-1918 (was to last 5 years – renewed until 1918)
   

Germany & Austria-Hungary

Bismarck was quite sure Russia would not seek alliance with Fr or Br

France – too revolutionary

Britain – too democratic

3. 
   Three Emperor’s League renewal, 1881-1886
   

Russia feared being left alone – sought renewed relationship

Agreed to remain neutral if attacked by another nation

Also – Austria could freely annex Bosnia any time

Lifted fears: Russia – Austria would not befriend Britain

Germany – no Russian alliance with France

4. 
   Triple Alliance, 1882-1914
   

Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy (Italy joined Dual Alliance)

Italy wanted more power to threaten France in Northern Africa

5. 
   Reinsurance Treaty, 1887
   

Germany & Russia

Three Emperor’s League had collapsed

Bismarck wanted to avoid Russo-French alliance

Both nations would remain neutral if attacked

Bismarck’s alliances had created Balkan peace & German security

Germany was clearly powerful, but used power for peace

THE NEW GERMANY – UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP in 1890

William II was different, with a different vision

29 year old ambitious and arrogant man

self conscious of withered left arm

overcompensated with bombastic rhetoric & mil. Bearing

filled with sense of German destiny to lead Europe

desired a navy and colonial empire as great as Britain’s

Bismarck saw no need to senselessly compete

Clash led to firing; Bismarck was architect of peace
General Leo von Caprivi – hired as new chancellor

”What kind of jackass will dare to be Bismarck’s successor?”

refused Russian request to renew Reinsurance Treaty

felt unable to hold alliance system together

hoped to pull Britain into a new kind of alliance
II. Post-Bismarck Alliances

1. 
   Triple Alliance, 1882-1914
   

Germany could NOT lose Austria – a loyal ally

2. 
   Franco-Russian Alliance, 1892 (sometimes called “the Dual Alliance”)
   

France & Russia

Two isolated nations joined in an alliance

France saw Russia as raw investment opportunity

Russia needed an ally

British & German Rivalry began to form

William II’s Grandmother – Queen Victoria

William II had strange admiration & jealousy of Britain

Compete in industry

Compete in size of navy

Built up colonial empire

Many Germans saw Britain as barrier to German greatness

British saw French as “devil” before 1900; after, it was the Germans

Would build military, creating fear in enemies

Britain became increasingly antagonistic

Pulled Austria closer as antagonism grew

3. 
   Entente Cordiale, 1904-end of war
   

Britain & France

Not a military treaty, but a series of agreements

Allowed France free reign in Morocco

France recognized English ownership of Egypt

4. 
   Triple Entente, 1907-1917
   

Russia, Britain, & France (Russia joined Entente Cordiale)

Russia humiliated by Russo-Japanese War

Russia appeared to be embracing democracy

Britain wanted to avoid Russia drifting back to Germany

Eventually, Britain & France shared naval responsibilities

Britain – pulled ships out of Mediterranean to Baltic region

French – pulled ships from North and loaded Mediterranean
DIFFERENCES:

1. 
   Alliances that had been arranged by Bismarck
   

Bismarck’s goal: keep Germany safe by using system of alliances

Isolate France – no friends

Avoid intimidating Britain – “sea rats”
Keep Austria close – dominate their politics

Keep Russia close – a weak ally

Keep Britain happy – allow them their overseas empire

Keep France friendless

Avoid European war

2. 
   New vision for William II
   

William II would not be schooled by an employee

William had a different vision for Germany

1. 
   Greatness through intimidation
   
2. 
   Unraveled Bismarck’s system of alliances
   

3. 
   Alliances re-created after Bismarck
   

Reflected a younger generation
Keep Austria close – support them to prop them up in conflict

Bring Italy into alliance system

Cut Russia loose – an enemy of Austria

Get Britain to respect Germany - to want them as an ally

Don’t worry about France – they’ll fear German might
Britain – went from indifferent to enemy

Russia – went from weak ally to strong partner with France

France – went from lonely and alone to strong with friends
Germany – went from dominating to creating fear

All nations will respond

Examples of the New German Attitude:

1. 
   William’s “Risk Theory”
   

Build German navy so large to inflict severe damage to British navy

Then, Britain could not defeat another power

Idea absurd – just led to militarization of navies

British response – maintain navy as large as next two combined

1 million tons  2 millions tons
1906 – British dreadnought – new mighty iron steam battleship

1908 – Germans launched its own dreadnought

2. 
   Ground Troop armies swelled, 1907-1913
   

As France build forces, Germany responded

Russia responded, causing Austria & Germany to build forces

Causing France to build more, causing…
Russia & France increased 600%

Germany & Austria increased 800%

Standing armies and reserves grew from 3 million to 20 million
Germany depended on two things to avoid war

1. French & Russian & British fear of German war machine

2. A strong Austrian Empire that refused to show weakness
Goal - Avoid a two-front war

Schlieffen Plan, 1905
All nations had issues they expected others to understand
Reality: no one cared about the problems of others…
Czar Nicholas looking for a war, and needed to show strength
Germany had to back Austria, its only trusted ally
Britain needed to maintain colonial superiority

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Austrians needed to control ethnic minorities
Serbians wanted to unite all Serbians
Austria secretly wanted to go to war with Serbia to absorb them