WWI
Bismarck’s Alliance System
• He (and Germany) really were a ‘sated’ power
• Pursued a System of Alliances
– Goal: maintain peace with a dominant Germany
– Isolate France…why?
• France is bitter over Franco-Prussian War, Alsace-Lorraine, etc.
– Stabilize, but balance Austria and Russia
• Why are these two such a concern?
– minority groups with destabilizing nationalism
– Deal with land winning independence from the crumbling Ottoman
Empire in southeast Europe
• Aka the Balkans
• Host of nationalist problems there
• We’ll come back to this
• Example of Bismarck’s genuine attempts to keep peace
– Encourages France to imperialize land, just not in Europe
• Many of Bismarck’s Alliances were secret…
• Series of shifting alliances under Bismarck is complicated.
William II Bungled Bismarck’s System
• He’s anti-Russian
• He gets rid of Bismarck because
Bismarck is pro-Russian
• Alienates Russia
• France jumps on this to make an
alliance with Russia
• German gov. under William II is
arrogant and ignorant… does a lot
to stir up a hornet’s nest of
European problems
Rival Alliance Groups Form
• #1- the Triple Alliance (later called the Central Powers)
– Germany
– Austria-Hungary joins because of tensions with Russia over
the spoils of the Ottoman Empire
– Italy sees France as its biggest threat, and joins, too
• #2- the Triple Entente (later called the Allies)
– France
– Russia joins against Germany and Austria-Hungary
– England is eventually coaxed out of its ‘splendid isolation’
because of growing fears of German power
• More details on the next slide
• Naming confusion
– Triple Alliance versus Allies
Italy
Why Has Britain Abandoned
Splendid Isolation?
• British-German Naval Escalation
– William II orders a bunch of modern battleships built
• England feels threatened and builds the mightiest
battleship on the planet
– HMS Dreadnought
– Fastest ship, best armor, and best firepower on the planet
• However, in a sense, Britain just helped the Germans
– The old navies are obsolete
– In one sense, Germany is now one boat behind
Dreadnoughts
Germany Quickly Responded By Building Its Own
Balkan Powder Keg
• Ottomans are losing power over the region
• Lots of different nationalities in the Balkans want nations of
their own
– Old nationalism
• Russia and Austria-Hungary see the area as ripe for their own
colonial designs
– New nationalism
• Russia portrays itself as protector of the Slavic groups in the
Balkans
• If either gets too much Balkan land, it will destabilize the entire
European … _______________________
– Balance of Power
• Think of the Balkans as an early 20th century version of today’s
Middle East
Four M.A.I.N. causes…
but also a ‘trigger mechanism’
Militarism
Imperialism
Alliances
Nationalism
Assassination
Small Wars in the Balkans
• Tensions are not as intense before 1900
– Great Powers distracted by New Imperialism
– Then everything is taken up… no more easy wars to
distract from European problems
• Series of small wars in the Balkans
– Locals, especially Serbians, wanted a nation
– Austria-Hungary cannot allow an example of
successful old nationalism on their border
• Russia wants to be seen as a protector of the
Slavs so it can’t stand by
The Assassination Event
• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
– Austro-Hungarian prince
– Visiting land conquered by Austria-H that has a large Serbian
population (Bosnia-Herzegovina)
• The Black Hand
– A patriotic group of Serbs, supposedly operating on their own, but
actually with secret support of the government
– Kill Ferdinand
– Their point is: leave Serbia/Serbians alone so we can build a state
• Assassination
– Assassins all had Tuberculosis
– Failed attempts
– Gavrilo Princeps- oddly ‘fortunate’
How Did This Single Shooting in the
Balkans Ignite a World War?
• Austria-H declares war on Serbia
– Russia pulled in to protect Serbs/Slavs
– Germany is dragged in as an ally of Austria-H
• Everyone is afraid to not be first
– Military timetables
• Think about the Prussian victories over Austria and France
– Military leaders manage to convince political leaders that there is not time
for politics
– Barbara Tuchman- The Guns of August
• Conservative Politicians Have Increasingly Needed a Distraction
From Class Struggles at Home
– Hoped for a short decisive war (again, think Austro-Prussian, AustroFrench Wars) but wouldn’t get it
– The long one that comes does a lot to destroy the remaining strands of the
great chain
The Schlieffen Plan
• German military plan in case of total war
• The Germans have determined that if there
is a general war, they can’t afford to attack
to the east first. Why not?
– You’ve got an angry/humiliated France to the
west
• Germany’s Schlieffen Plan is also designed
to avoid a two-front war for Germany
Schlieffen Plan
Now it’s your
turn…Ha, ha,
ha, ha…
@!$&!!!!
We’ve got
him
surrounded
! Attack!
Western Allies
Central Powers
Eastern Allies
The Actual Fighting
• Schlieffen Plan Failed
– Invasion through neutral Belgium (to catch France off guard and
deliver a quick knock out blow) gets Britain off of the fence
• French/British forces stop the Germans at the Marne River
– 1st Battle of the Marne
• By this point, Russia has attacked in the East and Germany
must split its army
• A general European war is now on
• Side fact- Italy decided that, despite its treaty obligations,
the Germans and Austro-Hungarians were going to lose
– Decides to declare neutrality at the beginning of the war
The Tangle of Alliances
Hansen
AP Euro
Name ___________
The Outbreak of WWI (note-taking guide)
•
•
•
Bismarck’s System of Alliance
–
He (and Germany) really were ________________
–
Pursued a System of Alliances
• Goal: _________________________________________
• Isolate France…why?
– France ________________________________,
Alsace-Lorraine, etc.
• _____________, but balance __________________
– Why are these two such a concern?
» _______________ with ___________
_________________________
• Deal with ______________________________ from the
crumbling _______________ in southeast Europe
– Aka _______________________
– Host of _____________ problems there
– We’ll come back to this
–
Example of Bismarck’s genuine attempts to keep peace
• Encourages France _________________ land, just not in
______________________
–
Many of Bismarck’s Alliances were ____________…
–
Series of shifting alliances under Bismarck is ______________.
William II Bungled Bismarck’s Alliance System
–
He’s _________________________
–
He gets rid of ______________ because ______ is pro-Russian
–
Alienated Russia
–
________ jumps on this to make _____________ with Russia
–
German gov. under William II is ______________________…
does a lot to stir up a hornet’s nest of European problems
Rival Alliance Groups Formed
–
–
–
#1- the Triple Alliance (later called the ______________________)
•
Germany
•
_______________________ joins because of tensions with
Russia over the ___________________ Ottoman Empire
•
Italy sees ________ as its biggest threat, and joins, ______
#2- the Triple Entente (later called the ________________)
•
France
•
Russia joins against Germany and Austria-Hungary
•
__________ is eventually coaxed out of its ‘_______________’
because of growing fears of ____________________
–
More details on the next slide
Naming confusion
•
Triple Alliance versus Allies
•
•
•
•
Why had Britain Abandoned Splendid Isolation?
–
______________________________________________
• William II orders a bunch of modern battleships built
–
England feels threatened and builds the mightiest battleship on
the planet
• HMS Dreadnought
• _____________ ship, best ___________, and best
_____________on the planet
–
However, in a sense, Britain ________________ the Germans
• The old navies ________________________
• In one sense, Germany is now ___________________
Balkan _____________________________
–
Ottomans are losing power over the region
–
Lots of different nationalities in the Balkans want nations of their
own
• _____________________________
–
Russia and Austria-Hungary see the area as ripe for their own
colonial designs
• __________________________
–
Russia portrays itself as protector of the _____________ in the
Balkans
–
If either gets too much Balkan land, it will destabilize the entire
European …
• _______________________________
–
Think of the Balkans as an early 20th century version of _______
___________________________________________
Four M.A.I.N. causes… but also a ‘trigger mechanism’
–
M - _________________________________
–
A- __________________________________
–
I- ___________________________________
–
N- __________________________________
–
Trigger
Small Wars in the Balkans
–
–
–
Tensions are not as intense before 1900
•
Great Powers distracted by _____________________
•
Then everything is _____________… no more
_______________ to distract from ______________________
Series of small wars in the Balkans
•
Locals, especially _____________, wanted a nation
•
Austria-Hungary cannot allow an example of ____________
_____________________ on their border
Russia wants to be seen as a protector of the Slavs so it can’t ________
•
•
•
The Assassination Event
–
Assassination of Archduke _________________________
• _________________________________
• Visiting land conquered by Austria-H that has a large
Serbian population (_____________________)
–
The Black Hand
• A ______________________- Serbs, supposedly
operating on their own, but actually with secret ______
___________________________________________
• Kill Ferdinand
• Their point is: __________________________ so we can
____________________________________
–
Assassination
• Assassins all had _____________________
• Failed attempts
• Gavrilo Princeps- oddly ‘fortunate’
How did This Single Shooting Ignite a War?
–
Austria-H declares war on Serbia
• ____________________________ to protect Serbs/Slavs
• Germany is dragged in as an _____________________
–
Everyone is afraid to not be first
• _________________________________
– Think about the Prussian victories over _______
_________________________________
• Military leaders manage to convince political leaders that
there is ___________________________________
• ____________________ The Guns of August
–
Conservative Politicians Have Increasingly Needed
___________ From _____________________ at Home
• Hoped for a short decisive war (again, think AustroPrussian, Austro-French Wars) but wouldn’t get it
• The long one that comes does a lot to destroy the
remaining strands ____________________________
The Schlieffen Plan
–
–
–
German military plan in case _________________________
The Germans have determined that if there is a general war, they can’t
afford to attack to the east first. Why not?
•
You’ve got an ________________________ France to the west
Germany’s Schlieffen Plan is also designed to avoid a
________________ for Germany
•
The Actual Fighting
–
–
–
–
–
Schlieffen Plan _____________________
•
Invasion through _______________ (to catch France
_____________ and deliver a quick _________________ blow)
gets Britain ____________________________
French/British forces stop the Germans at the Marne River
•
________________________
By this point, Russia has attacked in the East and Germany must _____
__________________________________
A general European war is now on
Side fact- Italy decided that, despite its treaty obligations, the Germans
and Austro-Hungarians were going to lose
•
Decides to ____________________ at the beginning of the war