CAUSES OF WWI Flashcards
OTTOMAN DECLINE
1871
a. Ottoman empire is vulnerable and susceptible to
another nation interfering
b. this creates “a vacuum of power”
c. all the different nations have the intention of
taking ottoman empire for their own desires
d. nationalism from above and below
e. ‘sick man of Europe’
LONG TERM + IDEOLOGICAL
REUNIFICATION OF GERMANY
1871
a. posed a threat on the British and the rest of
Europe
b. Germany is an industrially and economically
strong country
LONG TERM + IDEOLOGICAL
COMPETITION OVER AFRICA
1880s
a. Everyone was fighting over Africa
b. Bismarck’s Realpolitik –> web of alliances
c. All of Europe thought that in order for their own
country to succeed it comes at the cost of the
other countries
LONG TERM + POLITICAL
RUSSIAN + AUSTRIAN TENSION
1880s
a. nationalism from above and below
b. Russia always wanted the Austrians to be a part
of them for their own nationalistic interests
c. Ottoman empire is slavic region hence why
Russia is so interested
d. Austria yearned to be independent
REALPOLITIK –> WELTPOLITIK
1871 - 1890
i. Bismarck originally created a “web of alliances” in
attempt to remain peaceful
ii. These alliances were all about pleasing other
countries and reassuring them that war would
not happen
iii. Kaiser Wilhelm II optimised the idea of
Realpolitik and shifted the focus of pleasing
others to individual success
iv. This breaks all the important and confusing
alliances from before hence the outbreak of war
LONG TERM + POLITICAL
DREIKAISERBUND
1873 - 1878 & 1884 - 1887
LEAGUE OF EMPERORS
1873
a. to ease tensions over the Balkan region
b. Bismarck’s Realpolitik in play
i. avoid hostility between Russia + Austria
LONG TERM + POLITICAL
EASTERN CRISIS
1875 -1878
a. Ottoman empire in decline creating a vacuum of
power
b. Rebellions break out in European dominions
BALANCE OF POWER IN EUROPE
1870
1. Prussia wins the war from Franco - Prussian war
1866
1. Germany unites
These are major threats to the rest of Europe as this balance of power has been disrupted
LONG TERM + IDEOLOGICAL
POLITICAL AFFAIRS
1870s
1. Anglo - German rivalry over seas
2. Loss of Alsace - Lorraine for the French
3. Growth of nationalism
LONG TERM + POLITICAL
TREATY OF SAN STEFANO
1878
1. Created Bulgaria
2. Grants Serbia independence from the Turkish
3. Favourable to Russia ( Realpolitik )
LONG TERM + POLITICAL
CONGRESS OF BERLIN
1878
a. To maintain the balance of power
b. Realpolitik
c. revision of Treaty San Stefano
LONG TERM + POLITICAL
FASHODA CRISIS
1898
a. Britain + France in dispute to land over Africa
b. They end up signing an alliance “Entente Cordial”
LONG TERM + POLITICAL + TERRITORIAL
NEW COURSE
1890
The ditching of Realpolitik for Weltpolitik, German
prestige and dominance
–> breaks the web of alliances
LONG TERM + POLITICAL
SCHLIEFFEN PLAN
1905
a. Germany was to attack France via Belgium
TERRITORIAL
