Causes of the First World War Flashcards
All 35 cards in this deck
Which three countries made up the Triple Alliance?
Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. Formed in 1882.
What was the Franco-Russian Alliance?
An alliance (1894) in which Russia and France agreed to help each other if either was attacked by Germany. France wanted protection after the Franco-Prussian War.
Which three countries made up the Triple Entente?
Britain, France and Russia. Completed in 1907.
True or false? The Alliance System on its own made war inevitable.
False. It was a long-term cause that created a framework for conflict, but war also needed other factors such as imperial rivalry and the 1914 crisis.
How did the Moroccan crises of 1905 and 1911 affect relations between the Entente powers?
Britain backed France against Germany in both crises (and Russia backed France at the Algeciras Conference in 1906), so German pressure drew the Entente powers closer together.
What happened in the Balkan (Bosnian) crisis of 1908–1909?
Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia, which it had already run since 1878, making it formally part of its empire; this angered Serbia, which wanted Bosnia's Slavs for itself.
What was the effect of the Bosnian crisis of 1908–1909 on Russia?
Russia's status and influence in the Balkans were diminished, because it was not strong enough to risk war with Germany; humiliated, Russia began military improvements.
Why did Austria-Hungary feel able to defy Russia's objections over Bosnia in 1908?
Because Germany promised to back Austria-Hungary against Russia.
Why did the Balkans become a focus of tension between the European powers from 1908?
The decline of Turkish influence left a power vacuum, and Austria-Hungary, Russia and Serbia competed to fill it.
What was Britain's policy of 'Splendid Isolation'?
Britain's policy of avoiding permanent alliances with other European powers, relying on its navy and empire.
What was the Anglo-German naval race?
Britain and Germany competing to build the most powerful warships, dreadnoughts and super dreadnoughts.
Why did German naval expansion worry Britain?
Britain had been the world's strongest naval power, and relied on its navy to defend its empire and trade.
True or false? Anglo-German rivalry was only about the navy.
False. It was rivalry over the size of their empires and their armed forces — colonies, ships, men and money.
What was Slav nationalism in the Balkans?
The belief that Slav peoples should be united and free of foreign rule; Serbia's ambition to unite the South Slavs, including those ruled by Austria-Hungary, threatened the Austro-Hungarian empire.
Who was Archduke Franz Ferdinand and what happened to him in 1914?
The heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne; he was assassinated in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914.
Which group was responsible for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand?
The Black Hand, a Serbian nationalist group; the assassin was Gavrilo Princip.
What triggered the conflict in the short term during the July Crisis of 1914?
The Austrian ultimatum to Serbia, which Serbia did not fully accept, leading Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia.
How did the assassination of Franz Ferdinand escalate into a European war?
Austria declared war on Serbia; Russia mobilised to support Serbia; Germany then mobilised and declared war on Russia, and on France.
What was the Schlieffen Plan?
Germany's plan to avoid a two-front war by defeating France quickly through Belgium, then turning to fight Russia.
Why did Britain declare war on Germany in August 1914?
Germany invaded Belgium under the Schlieffen Plan, breaking the long-standing agreement by which Britain guaranteed Belgian neutrality.
True or false? The assassination of Franz Ferdinand was the long-term cause of the First World War.
False. It was the short-term cause or trigger; it set off long-term causes such as rivalry between the powers and war plans like the Schlieffen Plan.
True or false? In the years before 1914 all the main European powers, not just Britain and Germany, were spending increasing amounts of money on building bigger armed forces.
True. European rearmament was general: the powers of Europe spent more and more on larger armies, while Britain and Germany also competed at sea over dreadnoughts.
What was Weltpolitik?
Kaiser Wilhelm II's foreign policy of making Germany a world power, through gaining colonies, building a large navy and increasing influence overseas.
What was the Entente Cordiale (1904)?
An agreement in which Britain and France settled their old colonial quarrels in North Africa. It was not a military alliance, but it was Britain's first step towards the Triple Entente.
Give one reason Britain was willing to reach an agreement with Russia in 1907.
Russia had been weakened by its defeat in the war with Japan (1904–05), so it was less of a threat to Britain's empire, while Germany now looked like the bigger danger.
What happened in the first Moroccan crisis (1905)?
Kaiser Wilhelm II landed at Tangier and declared that Germany backed the Sultan's independence, a direct challenge to France's plans to make Morocco its own.
What was the Agadir crisis (1911)?
Germany sent a gunboat to the Moroccan port of Agadir in protest at France taking over Morocco. Neither side went to war, and Germany accepted land in the French Congo in return for recognising French control.
Give one consequence of the Agadir crisis (1911) for Britain and France.
In 1912 they agreed to share out naval duties: the Royal Navy would guard the North Sea and Channel against Germany while the French fleet concentrated in the Mediterranean.
Why did France want revenge on Germany before 1914?
Germany had taken Alsace-Lorraine, a valuable border region, from France after defeating it in the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71).
What was HMS Dreadnought (1906)?
A new British battleship, faster and with more big guns than any earlier battleship. It made older battleships out of date, so the naval race became a race to build 'dreadnoughts'.
When did Germany begin building a large battle fleet?
1898, when the first German Navy Law was passed, starting the naval race with Britain.
What was France's Plan 17?
France's war plan for a quick attack straight into Germany, aimed at recovering Alsace-Lorraine.
Which treaty had guaranteed Belgium's neutrality?
The Treaty of London (1839), signed by the great powers including Britain and Prussia.
Which demand in Austria-Hungary's July 1914 ultimatum did Serbia reject?
Letting Austro-Hungarian officials take part in Serbia's own investigation and punishment of those behind the assassination. Serbia accepted almost all the other demands.
When did Germany declare war on Russia and on France?
On Russia on 1 August 1914, after Russia mobilised; on France on 3 August 1914.