close
MODERN WORLD HISTORY
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1900-1939
Causes of World War One
Long-term underlying causes of war
Underlying long-term causes:
1. Nationalism
- nations believed themselves to be better than others
- assertions and aggressiveness in nations
2. Imperialism
- desire to conquer colonies, particularly in Africa
- brought the powers to conflict
~ Germany wanted an empire, against France and Britain, which already had empires
3. Militarism (Arms Race)
- military concerns influenced countries' policies
- attempts to build up a strong army and navy
~ gave nations the means and the will to make war
4. Alliances
- 1882: the formation of the Triple Alliance by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy
- 1904: the formation of the Triple Entente by France and Britain, later with Russia in 1907
- divided Europe into 2 armed camps, obliged to help each other if there was a war
The countries in detail:
I. The Triple Alliance
- GERMANY
~ made alliances with Austria-Hungary (1870) and Italy (1882), forming the Triple Alliance
~ government expected France to try to get Alsace and Lorraine back
+ expected a 'war on two fronts' against France and Russia
~ 'Schlieffen Plan' planned to defeat France before the Russian army was ready to fight.
+ German army to attack through Belgium (neutral country), defeat France quickly, then deal with Russia
- AUSTRIA-HUNGARY
~ had been growing weaker for many years
+ wanted to expand its empire to the south, into the Balkans
+ annexed Bosnia in 1908
~ only country in its way was Serbia (which had became powerful in the years from 1900 to 1914)
+ wanted to attack Serbia, but knew that Russia backed up Serbia
~ government knew it could not defeat Russia unless it got support from Germany
- ITALY
~ became a united country only in 1861
~ wanted an empire
+ had conquered land in East Africa by 1890
+ 1911: conquered Libya from Turkey
~ joined the Triple Alliance, although it
+ wanted Austrian land
+ supported France against Germany in the Moroccan crises of 1906 and 1911
II. The Triple Entente
- FRANCE
~ 1870: gone to war with Prussia (Germany) and was badly defeated
+ two French provinces taken by Germany: Alsace and Lorraine
+ hated Germany -- wanted revenge
~ built up alliances
+ 1894: the Dual Entente with Russia
+ 1904: the Entente Cordiale with Britain
+ 1907: the Triple Entente -- France, Russia, Britain
~ had a military plan to attack Germany: Plan 17
+ charge straight into Germany through the area of Champagne
- BRITAIN
~ very concerned about Germany since Kaiser Wilhelm II had succeeded to the throne in 1887
+ Germany had begun to build up an empire in Africa and the Pacific
+ Germany government had passed the Navy Laws in 1899 and 1900, saying that the German Navy
would be built up to rival the Royal Navy
~ after 1906: Britain and Germany started to try to build more ships than the other
+ 1829: at the Treaty of Westminster, promised to defend Belgium if it was ever attacked
- RUSSIA
~ 1905: had been defeated in a war with Japan
+ wanted to prove that it was still a major power
~ government believed that its army could defeat the army of any other European country
~ wanted to gain more influence in the Balkans and stop Austria-Hungary from expanding there
~ supported Serbia because it had a similar language and religion as Russia
+ government was determined to protect Serbia against Austria-Hungary
The above information was taken from a BBC website: BBC - GCSE Bitesize, from the History Section
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1900-1939
Causes of World War One
Long-term underlying causes of war
Underlying long-term causes:
1. Nationalism
- nations believed themselves to be better than others
- assertions and aggressiveness in nations
2. Imperialism
- desire to conquer colonies, particularly in Africa
- brought the powers to conflict
~ Germany wanted an empire, against France and Britain, which already had empires
3. Militarism (Arms Race)
- military concerns influenced countries' policies
- attempts to build up a strong army and navy
~ gave nations the means and the will to make war
4. Alliances
- 1882: the formation of the Triple Alliance by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy
- 1904: the formation of the Triple Entente by France and Britain, later with Russia in 1907
- divided Europe into 2 armed camps, obliged to help each other if there was a war
The countries in detail:
I. The Triple Alliance
- GERMANY
~ made alliances with Austria-Hungary (1870) and Italy (1882), forming the Triple Alliance
~ government expected France to try to get Alsace and Lorraine back
+ expected a 'war on two fronts' against France and Russia
~ 'Schlieffen Plan' planned to defeat France before the Russian army was ready to fight.
+ German army to attack through Belgium (neutral country), defeat France quickly, then deal with Russia
- AUSTRIA-HUNGARY
~ had been growing weaker for many years
+ wanted to expand its empire to the south, into the Balkans
+ annexed Bosnia in 1908
~ only country in its way was Serbia (which had became powerful in the years from 1900 to 1914)
+ wanted to attack Serbia, but knew that Russia backed up Serbia
~ government knew it could not defeat Russia unless it got support from Germany
- ITALY
~ became a united country only in 1861
~ wanted an empire
+ had conquered land in East Africa by 1890
+ 1911: conquered Libya from Turkey
~ joined the Triple Alliance, although it
+ wanted Austrian land
+ supported France against Germany in the Moroccan crises of 1906 and 1911
II. The Triple Entente
- FRANCE
~ 1870: gone to war with Prussia (Germany) and was badly defeated
+ two French provinces taken by Germany: Alsace and Lorraine
+ hated Germany -- wanted revenge
~ built up alliances
+ 1894: the Dual Entente with Russia
+ 1904: the Entente Cordiale with Britain
+ 1907: the Triple Entente -- France, Russia, Britain
~ had a military plan to attack Germany: Plan 17
+ charge straight into Germany through the area of Champagne
- BRITAIN
~ very concerned about Germany since Kaiser Wilhelm II had succeeded to the throne in 1887
+ Germany had begun to build up an empire in Africa and the Pacific
+ Germany government had passed the Navy Laws in 1899 and 1900, saying that the German Navy
would be built up to rival the Royal Navy
~ after 1906: Britain and Germany started to try to build more ships than the other
+ 1829: at the Treaty of Westminster, promised to defend Belgium if it was ever attacked
- RUSSIA
~ 1905: had been defeated in a war with Japan
+ wanted to prove that it was still a major power
~ government believed that its army could defeat the army of any other European country
~ wanted to gain more influence in the Balkans and stop Austria-Hungary from expanding there
~ supported Serbia because it had a similar language and religion as Russia
+ government was determined to protect Serbia against Austria-Hungary
The above information was taken from a BBC website: BBC - GCSE Bitesize, from the History Section
全站熱搜
留言列表
