Causes Of WW1

Question 1

Challenges to the old order- global

Answer 1

End of Eurocentrism: US and Japan - the US at the end of the century defeated Spain in Latin America & Cuba in 1898. The US acquired several almost colonies/territories that were governed by the US e.g.
Philippines. It also restrengthened its commitment to the Monroe Doctrine. After Spain was defeated in 1898 European powers were truly out of Latin America

Challenge by Japan as the first non-white non-European power that became a global power which started in the 1890s after the successful Sino-Japanese war.
It was confirmed in 1904/05 after Japan won the war against Russia being aided by Britain as Russia couldn’t use the Suez.

Question 2

Challenges to old order- internal

Answer 2

Social democracy ascendancy - by 1912 Social Democrats were
the major parties in Germany & France. This alternative ideology of
Marxism in Europe some have alluded to it being a reason for WW1 due to fear of its ascendancy in Europe as it would undermine the Constitution of the
European powers

Question 3

Triple Ente alliance

Answer 3

France, Russia and Britain
Formed as a result of the 1st/2nd Moroccan crisis

Question 4

The Central Powers alliance

Answer 4

Austria-Hungary, Germany and Itlay

Question 5

High imperialism

Answer 5

Countries felt it was necessary to acquire colonies to project their global dominance
Resulted in the Partition of Africa 1881-1902 and in East Asia/the Scramble for China c1894-1905

Question 6

Pre-war Crises
First Moroccan Crisis, 1905-6

Answer 6

• In 1905 a struggle for power broke out between European nations over the control of Morocco
• Kaiser Wilhelm II arrived in Tangier to declare German support for the Sultan of Morocco which granted Germany advantages in trade and commerce, allowing them to be in a equal position with France and Britain
• resulted in the Algeciras Conference which awarded France controlling interest in Moroccan affairs and limitations were imposed on any countries colonial actions without consultation

Question 7

Pre-war Crises
Bosnian Annexation Crisis, 1908-9

Answer 7

Almost led to the Austrian Russian War. Russian reluctancy to stand against the Austro-Hungarian acquisition in the Balkans was seen as a humiliation particulary after the defeat to Japan. In turn in 1940 Russia was in a different position and not ready to repeat the
embarassment

Question 8

Pre-war Crises
Second Moroccan Crisis (Agadir Crisis), 1911

Answer 8

• In April 1911 French troops flooded into Morocco, and whilst initially claimed they were present to defend the Sultan against the riots in Fez
• They had violated the terms they signed at Algeciras which led Germany to send their warship ‘Panther’ to the port of Agadir in retaliation
• However Germany was forced to back down after both Britain and Russia had backed France
  
  • which had ultimately strengthened the Entente alliance
• the reappraisal forced Germany to focus on sea over land

Question 9

Pre-war Crises
Balkan Wars, 1912-13

Answer 9

To evict the Ottoman Empire and did so in 1912
Bulgaria/Romania/Serbia then fought a very short war for control of modern-day Northern
Macedonia

Question 10

Naval arms race

Answer 10

1898, 1900 German Navy Laws

1901, Britain royal navy launch their first submarine, the HMS Holland 1

1904, The appointment of admiral John Fisher, as the 1st lord of the admiralty, who created a modernisation programme, removing old ships and concentrating the fleet to Europe

1906 HMS Dreadnought launched (designed by Fisher)

1908 Germany starts dreadnought building

1909-10 Britain lays down eight dreadnoughts in one year

1912 Germany dropped back from 4 to 2 capital ships a year- could not maintain this level of expenditure so backed down. Russia’s military modernisation was recognised as being more dangerous so, focused its available budget on the arms race

1912 - Germany and Britain were unable to come to any resolution, and only once in 1912 were they almost succesful

Why
1 - protect trade from piracy and other countries
2 - protection in the case of war

Question 11

Land arms race

Answer 11

1910 Military reorganisation begins Russian military revival

1912 German reorientation from naval to land spending: new army law

1912 Further German army law - increased man-power size to approx 29,000 in response to heightened hostility

1913- Germans arms bill - increased man power to almost 120,000

1913 France extends military service from two to three years

1914 French loan to finance Russian railway building: Russian ‘Great Programme’

Question 12

War plans- Schlieffen-Moltke Plan

Answer 12

Created by the Chief of the German
General Staff 1890-1905, which was
then updated by Moltke from time-to-time
Considered by some as being responsible for the outbreak as it was aggressive/offensive
As Germany would fight a two-front war (encirclement theory) it had to defeat France and Britain quickly so that it could get its troops over to then fight Russia requiring Germany to act first

Question 13

Germany was responsible for the outbreak

Answer 13

Short War Myth
- German officials thought it would only be a short war and they were aware of economic and political upheavals that could come as a result

Question 14

Britain was responsible for the outbreak

Answer 14

Belgian excuse
Naval dominance
Thucydides trap
Conservatives willing to support
Short-war
Fear

• Grey’s attempts to mediate were weak and biased against Austria–Hungary

Question 15

France was responsible for the outbreak

Answer 15

• French officers where increasingly confident of their chances in a general European war due to the air marks of their national revival in 1905, 3 year military service law in 1913, and the victory of French trained Serbian and Bulgarian forces over the ottoman forces in the Balkan war of 1912

Question 16

Russia was responsible for the outbreak

Answer 16

• After their loss in the Russo-Japanese war 1904, wanted to re-establish the countries pride and military presence
• Russia had heightened tensions with the Ottoman empire due to conquest of Balkan states, as Russia had a strong sense of pan-slav sentiment where ready to go to war
• Russia wanted access to water ports to strengthen their naval power thus gaining control of the Ottoman owned Dardanelles, and the Bosporus would have provided Russia with access to the Mediterranean Sea
• the willingness of Russian ministers to contemplate war was hardened by the visit of Poincaré to St Petersburg 21-23 July. More concerned with the cohesion of the alliance than with maintaining peace, made no effort to restrain Russia. the willingness of Russian ministers to contemplate war was hardened by the visit of Poincaré to St Petersburg 21-23 July. More concerned with the cohesion of the alliance than with maintaining peace, made no effort to restrain Russia.
• 24/07, the Council of Ministers decided on an assertive response to ultimatum to transfer Russian state deposits out of Germany and begin a secret mobilisation. By starting a mobilisation schedule so far in advance Russian leaders limited Germany’s options to negotiate

Question 17

Austria-Hungry was responsible for the outbreak

Answer 17

the Serbian threat to Austria–Hungary’s existence as the central feature of Balkan politics. The confrontation between Serbia & Austria–Hungary was framed and exacerbated by a wider conflict between empire and nation in Europe on the eve of the First World War. (Christopher Clark)

Question 18

Military chiefs- Moltke

Answer 18

• Was the Chief of the German General Staff
• In the 1912 War Council he had declared that the sooner the war the better
• 1/06/1914 - he said ‘we are ready the sooner the better’
• German diplomat, Lichnowsky reported Britain would remain neutral and France would stay out of it as long as German war efforts avoided France (avoiding a two-front war) but Moltke said it was impossible to stop the war in the West as the troop would not have had a plan nor supplies as the war plan required an attack on the West (Kaiser was displeased and wanted to stop it all toghther)
• Had appeared outwardly as an aggressor pushing for war, but had held scepticism about Germany’s chances of victory
• Which is evident by his delaying declaration of war till Russia had done so
• Was absent when the ultimatum was given to Serbia, (he was informed of the ongoings), so how far can we blame him for the escalation of the July 1914 crisis
• After the ultimatum, there where questions of if Germany could win, but Moltke assured them that they were in a strong strategic position to crush the Russian threat
• 28/07, He had drafted a memorandum, for the Kaiser & Benthamm, that Russias partial mobilisation should lead to a German full mobilisation which had put pressure on politicians to start war
• 29/07, Moltke declared that Germany must order a full mobilisation in order for the Schliffen-Moltke plan to be succesful
• 30/7 - Germany decided on the next day they will declare a state of impending war regardless of Russias action, but Russia had declared a general mobilisation before the deadline

Question 19

Historiography- Fischer

Answer 19

• German politicians such as Bethmann instigated WW1 to capitalise on German military superiority and break its Great Power encirclement and emerge as the European hegemon
• Common customs union of ‘Mitteleuropa’ with Belgian and French ‘vassal states’, to consolidate German economic power
• German volk also pressed for ending of Great Power encirclement
• Bethmann’s September Programme was a moderation compared to influential pan-Germans such as Thyssen and Krupp

Question 20

Historiography- Christopher Clark,

Answer 20

• WW1 was the result of a cumulative interaction of individual decisions within 2 distinct geopolitical spheres— rising tension between Serbia & Austria–Hungary in the Balkans and the consequences of imperial politics for the relations between Germany & the Triple Entente especially Serbian, French and Russian descion-makers
• German leaders used the July crisis to ‘test for threats’- if Russia backed down diplomatic triumph but if they fight suggested

Question 21

Historiography- Thomas Otte,

Question 22

Historiography- Mombauer. A

Answer 22

• Germany pressured Austria-Hungary into conflict with Serbia as they believed that Franco-Russian bloc were not yet prepared for war. An advantageous diplomatic settlement or an opportunity for Germany to win a European War before its enemies became invincible would thus result.
• Bethmann wanted to delay mobilisation to shift war blame onto Russia
• BUT Moltke insisted on German mobilisation due to the inflexibility of military planning
• Moltke-Schlieffen Plan was the only German strategy. This required rapid military action against Belgium which would lead to the involvement of Britain in the European War. No diplomatic efforts or Russian attack could occur instead.
• Moltke’s sole focus was military-strategic concerns and he plays a crucial role in outbreak of WW1.

Question 23

Historiography- David Stevenson

Answer 23

Just because there was an Arms race it didn’t mean it caused war as peace could be maintained- act as an image of deterrence

• ## stockpiling pre 1914 was not seen as cause for war but rather a detterent and diplomatic leverage

Question 24

Historiography- Marc Trachtenberg

Answer 24

• mobilisation of troops, opened up the phase of moving to war, by ensuring countries have resources to do so ensuring military schedule’s could be carried out
• Russia knew that its partial mobilisation would lead to war with Germany
• Germany not dragged into the war due to its Austria-Hungary alliance BUT instead recognised the inevitability of a European conflict
• Military and civilian aims (in Germany and Russia) were predominantly aligned not contested BUT placing blame on militarism was more convenient

Question 25

Historiography - Bonker

Answer 25

• the naval construction programme were for protection and attempt to compete with one another in order to establish a strong military presence

Question 26

Historiography - Alan Turner

Answer 26

• Russia mobilisation was a canon to the events that followed, with the escalation of dog-piling weapons, extended military service and increased size of troops

Question 27

Historiography - Stephan Schmit

Answer 27

war was probable if not inevitable and growing Russian strength as an outcome of the Balkan war led to increased willingness to accept the bulk of war

Question 28

Historiography - Katja Frehland-Wylebr

Answer 28

• european alliances from 1714-1914 shows how the texts of treaties negotiated mostly by diplomats reflected their self-understanding of guardians of peace
• As 84.5% of alliance agreements dictated the purpose of keeping the peace from 1890-1914

Question 29

Historiography- Neil Fergusen

Answer 29

Britain didn’t need to get involved in the war, prolonged, resulted in a rise of nationalism

Question 30

Historiography - Barbara Tuchman

Answer 30

statesmen tried to draw back on the eve of the war, “but the pull of military schedules dragged them forward.”

Question 30

Historiography - AJP Taylor

Answer 30

-The German war plan, the famous Schlieffen Plan, was, instrumental in precipitating the war: in 1914, Schlieffen’s dead hand automatically pulled the trigger.