The road to war
I The alliance system
II International rivalry
International rivalry
before 1914
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The role of Germany
The arms race
Colonial rivalry
Crises in Morocco and the Balkans
The role of
Germany
Creates suspicion and tension –
especially after 1890
Role of Germany –
Kaiser Wilhelm II
 Personal ambitions for a
strong Germany
 Unpredictable and
interfering
 Up sets Britain and others
Eg Kruger telegram 1896,
Daily Telegraph affair
1908, refuses to renew
Reinsurance treaty with
Russia
The role of
Germany
Militarism strong – Eg captain of
Kopenick!
The role of GermanyWELTPOLITIK
 Weltpolitik – use it to get mass support for
the kaiser and the ruling elite
 Seats won by the Social Democratic Party in
parliament
Year seats
1890 35
1912 110
Weltpolitik
 Increase German prestige abroad – get
involved in international politics
 « drang nach osten »
 Berlin – Baghdad railway
 « Place in the sun »
Naval arms race
 Tirpitz and Navy laws, 1898, 1900
 « risk theory »
 Britain - the TWO POWER STANDARD
 Naval Arms race starts
.
HMS Dreadnought 1906
 Armour plating
 Guns
 speed;
The Naval arms race
intensifies
 « we want 8 and we won’t wait »
 Kiel canal - opened 1914
 Navy league influential in Br and Ger
 Created impression Br & Ger enemies
Colonial rivalry
 Not much interest in colonies up to the
1870s
 New Imperialism
 Scramble for Africa 1870-1900
 Struggle for China 1895 - 1905
Reasons for the « new
imperialism »
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Economic motives
National security
Nationalism and national prestige
Social Darwinism « survival of the
fittest »
How serious were colonial
rivalries?
 On occasions they damaged
relationships eg Fashoda crisis 1898,
Moroccan crises 1905, 1911
 Overall the conflicts were a long way
from home – they did not cause the war
to start.
CRISES
- in Morocco
 First Moroccan crisis
1905/06
 Germany wanted to
test the strength of
the Entente Cordiale.
 1905, Kaiser lands in
Tangiers &
demands » open
door » in Morocco
CRISES
- in Morocco
 Conference held at Algeciras 1906
 Germany defeated & Br and Fr closer together
 Germany makes the Schlieffen plan, France –
plan 17
The Schlieffen plan
CRISES
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- in Morocco
2nd Moroccan crisis 1911 – the Agadir crisis
French troops Vs rebels
German gunboat – the Panther sent to Agadir
Br and Fr hold firm
Lloyd George – Mansion House speech
Germany backs down BUT public opinion
furious with Britain
CRISES – in the Balkans
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Bosnian crisis 1908
Austria annexes Bosnia
Germany supports Austria
Russia furious and humiliated – won’t let
that happen again!
 Serbia angry – hostile to Austria
CRISES – in the Balkans
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The First Balkans war 1912
Balkan league attacks Turkey
Would Russia or Austria get involved?
International peace settlement arranged
Serbia angry because Austria blockes
her access to the sea.
 War Council meeting in Germany
CRISES – in the Balkans
 The second Balkans war 1913
 Bulgarians unhappy with the peace
settlement
 Bulgaria attacks Serbia
 Other Balkan countries help Serbia
 Br and Ger stop Austria from helping
Bulgaria
CRISES – in the Balkans
 Consequences of the second Balkan war
 Serbia strengthened and ready to stir up
trouble for Austria
 Austria determined to end Serbia’s
ambitions ( a preventative war )
 Germany thought Britain would cooperate if there was another crisis
CRISES – in the Balkans
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Sarajevo 28th June 1914
Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated
Austria sees a chance to finish Serbia
Gets « blank cheque » from Germany
Ultimatum to Serbia, then war declared
Russia mobilises
Germany launches Schlieffen plan
Britain declares war
The First world war
begins
July / August 1914