Causes of WW1

Causes of WW1

1. Alliance systems

   • Dual alliance 1879
     • between Germany and Austria-Hungary
     • 1882 Italy joined and made it the Tripple Alliance
   • Entente Cordiale
     • Britain and France 1904
     • Tripple Entente
       • Russia joined 1907

2. Arms Race

   • Weltpoltik
     • Germany's more aggressive foreign policy  aimed at increasing military strength and expanding Germany's empire
   • Britain two power standard
   • 1906: Britain build first dreadnought

3. Plans for War

   • 1905: Schlieffen Plan
     • avoid war on both fronts 
   • France: Plan 17
     • to recapture Alsace and Lorraine from Germany
   • British Expeditionary Force
     • 150000 men, rady to travel immediately to Europe in case of war
   • Russia started to build up its army in case of war

4. Morocco

   • First Moroccan Crisis
     • 1905-1906
     • France wanted to add Morocco to is empire
       • Germany objected
     • Algeciras Conference
   • Second Moroccac Crisis
     • 1911
     • France sent troops to Fez to help fight Moroccan rebels
       • Germany accused France of trying to take complete control over Morocco
         • Germany sent 'Panther"
           • to Agadir, hoping to force France to give them the French Congo
           • Britain sent war ships
             • Britain was worried that Germany might Build a Naval base at Agadir, which would threaten key British sea routes
             • Germany backed down
               • they recognised French influence in Morocco. The Germans felt increasingly anti-British

5. Balkans

   • Controlled by the Turkish Empire
   • Very poor area of south-eastern Europe
   • What other powers wanted it for
     • Germany
       • wanted to build a railway to the East through the Balkans
     • Austria-Hungary
       • Wanted to stop Serbia from string up the Slavic people inside its own lands. The slavs wanted independence and hoped Serbia would help them
     • Russia
       • wanted sea access from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, through straits controlled by the Turkish empire. 
     • Italy
       • wanted to control the other side of the Adriatic Sea
   • Austria-Hungary annexed Bosina & Herzegovina
     • they had been given control of Bosniaby a 1878 treaty. They wanted to make it an official part of their empire. They cut a deal with Russia - who would support this annexation if Austria-Hungary backed Russian hopes of getting access forfar its warships through the Turkish straits. Russia didn't get what they wanted, as the other powers stood against it- but A-H went ahead with the annexation. Russia protested but Germany backed A-H and russia was left humiliated 
   • First Balkan War
     • Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia  and Montenegro formed the Balkan League and attacked the Turkish Empire in 1912. The Turks were beaten easily and were driven out go the Balkan area and forced to give up their lands. 
   • Second Balkan War
     • in 1913 the Balkan League quarrelled - Bulgaria went to war with Greece and Serbia. Turkey and Romania joined the Greek Serbian side and Bulgaria was soon defeated, loosing land. 
   • 1914 Franz Ferdinand's Assassination
     • he was heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. He want to Bosina to try to strengthen the loyalty of the Bosnian people to A-H
     • Sarajevo
     • Gavrilo Princip
       • a black hand member, it was started in serbia with the aim of uniting all of the serbian people. A-H had many Serbian citizens and feared rebellion in its lands, especially in Bosnia. 
     • A-H blames Serbian government demands compensation and the right to send troops into Serbia
       • Serbia refuses. A-H declares war on Serbia
         • Russia begins mobilising troops ready to help Serbia
           • Germany demands that Russia stops mobilising
             • Russia refuses. Germany declares war on Russia
               • France begins mobilising to help Russia
                 • Germany declares war on France
                   • Schliefen Plan, Britain declare war on Germany because of Belguim
                     • A-H declares war on Russia