The origins of the First World War (1890-1914) Flashcards

1
Q

Which countries made up the Triple Alliance?

A

Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy

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2
Q

Which countries made up the Triple Entente?

A

Britain, France and Russia

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3
Q

When was the Triple Alliance signed?

A

1882

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4
Q

What was the Dual Alliance?

A

German alliance with Austria

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5
Q

When was the Dual Alliance signed?

A

1879

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6
Q

Who was behind the Dual Alliance?

A

German Chancellor Bismark

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7
Q

Why was the Dual Alliance signed?

A

To strengthen Germany against France and Russia

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8
Q

When did Italy join the Dual Alliance to make the Triple Alliance?

A

1882

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9
Q

What was the purpose of the Triple Alliance?

A

It was a defensive alliance with all three powers agreeing to support each other is one was attacked by two or more powers

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10
Q

What was the German Chancellor?

A

Chief minister (equivalent of Prime Minister in Britain)

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11
Q

When was the Franco-Russian Dual Alliance signed?

A

1894

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12
Q

Why did France and Russia sign an alliance?

A
  • Kaiser Wilhelm II had made it clear that he did not favour close relations with Russia
  • Both France and Russia felt isolated in Europe
  • France was still determined to get revenge on Germany for the defeat of 1871 and wanted to recover the provinces of Alsace-Lorraine
  • Russia was in need of a loan to help develop her economy

Both countries agreeing to support each other if attacked by Germany or Austria-Hungary

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13
Q

Which countries were involved in the Entente Cordiale?

A

Britain and France

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14
Q

When was the Entente Cordiale signed?

A

1904

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15
Q

What was splendid isolation?

A

A British policy that they would remain separate from events in Europe

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16
Q

What is an entente?

A

Not an alliance, but an agreement to settle differences

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17
Q

Why was the Entente Cordiale signed?

A
  • Britain felt increasingly isolated, especially as Germany had declined to sign an agreement in the years 1900-92 limiting naval expansion
  • France continued to want revenge on Germany and the recovery of the lost provinces
  • Britain wanted to stop French interference in Egypt and the French wanted a free hand to expand into Morocco
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18
Q

What happened as a result of the Entente Cordiale?

A

France allowed Britain to go ahead with reforms in Egypt, and Britain promised not to oppose any French action in Morocco

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19
Q

What were the effects of the Entente Cordiale?

A
  • Kaiser Wilhelm was suspicious of the agreement and became determined to break it up
  • It encouraged French expansion in Morocco
  • Anglo-French relations became closer in the years after 1904 so that by 1914 the two countries even planned how to fight a future war against Germany
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20
Q

When was the Anglo-Russian Entente signed?

A

1907

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21
Q

Why was the Anglo-Russian entente signed?

A

Mainly due to French influence as France was already in alliance with Russia and had signed the Entente Cordiale with Britain
They were also keen to settle areas of difference in the Middle East, especially in Persia, and the Far East

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22
Q

Why was the Triple Entente not an official alliance?

A

No actual alliance was signed between between the countries, but they all had agreements with each other that were similar to alliances

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23
Q

Why was the alliance system important?

A
  • it increased tension in Europe
  • a dispute between one of the members could well involve the other members. This would turn a dispute between two countries into a major conflict between all six
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24
Q

How Wilhelm’s actions did much to create rivalry with Britain

A
  • he was determined to expand the German empire and find a ‘place in the sun’. This policy of Weltpolitik threatened British interests in the Turkish Empire, Africa and the Far East
  • he was determined to build up a German navy. This threatened British naval supremacy
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25
Q

How Wilhelm’s actions did much to create rivalry with France

A

The Kaiser was determined to challenge the Entente Cordiale by interfering with French interests in Morocco

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26
Q

How Wilhelm’s actions did much to create rivalry with Russia

A

Wilhelm II fully supported the interests of Austria-Hungary in the Balkans. This infuriated Russia

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27
Q

What does weltpolitik mean?

A

World policy (in German)

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28
Q

When was the first Moroccan crisis?

A

1905-06

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29
Q

Why did France have an interest in Morocco?

A

France already had an empire in North Africa, which included Algeria and Tunisia. Morocco would complete this North African Empire

30
Q

Why did the Kaiser want to interfere in France’s campaign for Morocco?

A
  • wanted to test the strength of the Entente Cordiale and hoped to split it apart. He did not believe Britain would stand by France over Morocco
  • did not want to see France extend North African Empire
31
Q

What sparked the Moroccan crisis in 1905?

A

The Kaiser paid a visit to the Moroccan port of Tangiers where he made a speech declaring that Morocco should remain independent of France.

32
Q

How did France react to the Kaiser’s speech in Tangiers?

A

Refused to back down. However, they did agree to the Kaiser’s demand for an international conference to discuss the future of Morocco

33
Q

What were the effects of the first Moroccan crisis?

A
  • France was (basically) given a free hand in Morocco and was grateful to Britain
  • the Kaiser’s attempts to break up the Entente Cordiale had backfired. His interference had strengthened relations between France and Britain
  • Anglo-German rivalry intensified as the Kaiser blamed the British for his humiliating defeat
34
Q

When was the second Moroccan crisis?

A

1911

35
Q

What is the second Moroccan crisis also known as?

A

The Agadir crisis

36
Q

What caused the second Moroccan crisis?

A

The French finally occupied Fez in Morocco in 1911. The Kaiser sent a gunboat called the Panther to the Moroccan port of Agadir in order to force the French to agree to compensation in the form of the French Congo in central Africa

37
Q

Why did Germany’s actions in 1911 backfire?

A

Germany’s actions backfired. Britain was determined to support France as both countries believed that Wilhelm was trying to set up a German naval base in Morocco

38
Q

What was Britain’s reaction to Germany’s actions in 1911?

A

Lloyd George, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, and a well-known pacifist, made a speech at Mansion House in London in which he directly warned the Germans that Britain would back the French, by war if necessary. Britain’s fleet was even prepared for war. In the end, Germany backed down rather than risk war

39
Q

What were the effects of the second Moroccan crisis

A
  • greatly increased tension in Europe
  • strengthened Anglo-French Entente due to British support for the French
  • the Kaiser suffered another humiliating defeat and was unlikely to back down a third time
  • increase Anglo-German rivalry. The Kaiser once again blamed his humiliation on the British
40
Q

When was the Bosnian crisis?

A

1908-09

41
Q

What sparked the Bosnian crisis?

A

Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina.

42
Q

How did the Serbians react to being annexed by Austria-Hungary?

A

The Serbians were furious because they had hoped to make Bosnia part of a greater Serbian state. They appealed to Russia for help.

43
Q

What was Russia’s reaction to the Serbian request for help?

A

They supported Serbia because they believed in Pan-Slavism
They called for an international conference to discuss the annexation. Austria-Hungary refused to attend and was fully backed by Germany

44
Q

What did Germany do at the 1911 international conference over Bosnia?

A

Germany demanded that Russia accept the annexation. Russia had little choice but to back down as its army was no match for German forces. This crisis again increased tension between the Great Powers.

45
Q

Why did the Bosnian crisis increase tension between the Great Powers?

A
  • Serbia was furious with Austria-Hungary. It wanted revenge and the return of Bosnia
  • Russia was humiliated but was now unlikely to back down in another crisis
  • Germany was now fully committed to supporting Austro-Hungarian policy in the Balkans, even if it led to war
  • Russia drew even closer to Britain and France
46
Q

What was the arms race?

A

In the years before 1914, there was competition between the Great Powers with regard to the size and strength of their armed forces, including their armies and navies. This arms race encouraged rivalry between the Great Powers as each tried to enlarge and strengthen their armed forces

47
Q

What does ‘annexed’ mean?

A

When territory is seized and made part of another country’s empire

48
Q

What does ‘pan slavism’ mean?

A

The principle or advocacy of the union of all Slavs or all Slavic peoples in one political organization

49
Q

What is conscription?

A

All males of a certain age group have to serve in the armed forces, usually for one or two years

50
Q

What did conscription lead to?

A

Every major power in Europe, except Britain, had introduced conscription, which led to huge armies

51
Q

How did the military arms race effect European countries?

A

In the years 1900-14, the main European powers more than doubled their spending on their armies

52
Q

What did European countries do as part of the military arms race?

A

Guns, shells, bullets and other weapons were stockpiled in case of war. Even more destructive weapons were developed, such as the machine gun and huge field guns

53
Q

How did the military arms race bring war nearer?

A
  • it increased tension between the Great Powers because as one power increased its army, another would follow suit
  • it made war more likely - as each country increased its army and weapons it became even more confident of success in a future war and more willing to test its armed force
54
Q

What does ‘mobilise’ mean?

A

To get armed forces ready for battle

55
Q

What were the two aspects of the arms race?

A

Military and Naval

56
Q

Why was the naval race predominantly between Germany and Britain?

A

The navy was vital to Britain in order to protect it empire, prevent invasion and guarantee its position as a great power. Germany already had the world’s best army. However, in 1898, Germany began to build a fleet of battleships to rival the British navy

57
Q

Why was the naval race not seen as a threat by Britain?

A

The Royal Navy was far superior and it would take Germany many years to catch up

58
Q

What changed the pace of the naval race?

A

Britain launched a super-battleship called the HMS Dreadnought in 1906. It was faster, bigger and had a much greater firing range than existing battleships

59
Q

What did the launch of the Dreadnought mean?

A

It made all previous battleships obsolete. Britain was now only one new battleship ahead of Germany. A race developed between Germany and Britain to see who could build the most

60
Q

How many Dreadnoughts did Britain and Germany have in 1909?

A

Britain - 8

Germany - 7

61
Q

How many soldiers, warships and submarines did GREAT BRITAIN have in 1914?

A

Soldiers - 711,000
Warships - 122
Submarines - 64

62
Q

How many soldiers, warships and submarines did GERMANY have in 1914?

A

Soldiers - 2,200,000
Warships - 85
Submarines - 23

63
Q

How many soldiers, warships and submarines did AUSTRIA-HUNGARY have in 1914?

A

Soldiers - 810,000
Warships - 26
Submarines - 6

64
Q

How many soldiers, warships and submarines did RUSSIA have in 1914?

A

Soldiers - 1,200,000
Warships - 26
Submarines - 29

65
Q

How many soldiers, warships and submarines did FRANCE have in 1914?

A

Soldiers - 1,250,000
Warships - 46
Submarines - 73

66
Q

How many soldiers, warships and submarines did ITALY have in 1914?

A

Soldiers - 750,000
Warships - 36
Submarines - 12

67
Q

What set off the chain reaction that started the first world war?

A

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

68
Q

What were Austria-Hungary’s aims in the Balkans?

A

They felt increasingly threatened by Serbian nationalism in the years after 1900. The main concern of the Austro-Hungarian Government was that the population of Serbs within its empire would want to be part of a greater Serbia, which might lead to a break-up of the Austo-Hungarian Empire

69
Q

What were the effects of the naval race?

A

Poisoned relations between Germany and Britain. Britain feared German world domination if the Kaiser had control of both the strongest army and navy

70
Q

What were Serbia’s aims in the Balkans?

A

Serbia wished to unite all Serbs living in south-east Europe into an enlarged state of Greater Serbia and was supported by Russia who regarded herself as the protector of all Slavs

71
Q

When was Franz Ferdinand assassinated?

A

28 June 1914