Europe and The First World War (1871 - 1918)

Europe and the First
World War (1871–

1918)
INTRODUCTION
This section deals with the shorter- and longer-term origins

of the First World War. It covers the breakdown of European
diplomacy pre‑1914 and the crises that occurred in
international relations. It covers how the practice of war
affected the military and home fronts. The section also
investigates reasons for the Allied victory/Central Powers’
defeat.
2
1 Objectives:
To examine and analyze the European diplomacy and
the changing balance of power after 1871; imperial
expansion in Africa and Asia, and its impact on
European diplomacy; the Congress of Berlin and
European Alliance system
KEY QUESTION
What would now become of the traditional balance of power in
place since the defeat of Napoleon? The whole point has been
that no one nation should gain excessive power and strength on
the continent. With the unification of Germany in Central Europe
( an essential economic and strategic region) was the balance of
power doomed?
4
Europe in 1870-1914
The impact of the unification of Germany, 1871
-Germany became THE GREAT POWER OF EUROPE
* economic and political rivalry
• The 1870-1914 period is considered to be one of the most momentous periods in the
history of the modern world:
- time of industrial growth and urbanisation
- an age of imperialism
- an era dominated by nationalism
- each state produced more and more sophisticated weapons and each believed
itself superiour
→ the idea that the war could not be prevented!
The Great Powers of Europe
⊳ Germany
⊳ France
⊳ Great Britain
⊳ Austria-Hungary
⊳ Russia
⊳ Italy?
⊳ The Ottoman Empire?
How did the Great Powers differ from each other in their politics, economy
and foreign policy aims?
⊳ Make a mind map dealing with the Great Powers
Use these words:
- Parliamentary monarcy - Pan-Slavism
- Kaiser and chancellor - Military power
- Authoriatarian state - Trade
- Dual monarchy - colonial expansion
- Democratic republic - slow economic growth
- Industrialisation - slow population growth
- Population growth - nationalities conflicts
- Duma - Balkan interests
- Autocracy - sea power
- Foreign loans - battle fleet
The Eastern Question; Turkey
⊳ Turkey= The Ottoman Empire
* map p. 13; ” European Turkey”
* The Sultan Rule faced problems; nationalism, European
interests ( Serbia, Austria-Hungary, Russia..)
* Balkan states wanted to gain independence
* The Turkish economy was subjected to European
commercial groups ( which exploited the Turkish economy)
→ Uprisings/ in 1909 a revolution in Turkey
Bismarck and Europe
⊳ Bismarck´s aims/ foreign policy
* to guarantee peace!
* Germany was a very strong country; no challenge from
Austria-hungary/ Russia or from France
* B. wanted to reassure the leaders of Europe that he was a man
of peace→ personal contacts between the leaders →
DREIKAISERBUND/ three Emperors League in 1873
* the aim was to guarantee peace and stability
⊳ ” the desire of the Emperors to stand together against
republicanism and socialism”
⊳ To reduce the risks of war ( Austro-Russian interests in
Balkan)
⊳ Consultations when needed, not a military alliance
⊳ ” Is war in Sight”, Berlin Post-article in 1875- a diplomatic
warning for all other countries..
Bismarck and The Crisis of 1875-8, Turkey
⊳ The Balkan area started to challenge the Turkish tule; Bosnia-Herzegovina, in
1875→Christian peasants started an uprising, spread to Bulgaria.. The Turks massacred
over 10 000 Bulgarians
*Austrian interests, Russian interests ( Pan-Slavism), the British interests →→
Bismarck wanted to follow a low approach, but was forced to change his approach to a
more active role to ENSURE GERMANY´S SECURITY
• Russo ( Serbia) -Turkish war 1877-78, Russia won and dictated a severe peace treaty of
San Stefano → The European Turkey would be reduced a lot and the Russian interests
would be guaranteed
BUT OTHER GREAT POWERS DID NOT REGOCNISE THE TREATY AND IT WAS
REVISED ( Austria-H and Britain were ready to start a war on Russia)→ The Treaty of
Berlin of 1878,
The Berlin Treaty of 1878
⊳ Bulgaria was divided into four; Northern part was granted full
independence ( under Russian supervision), one for Turkey
(Macedonia) and Province named Rumelia was to get autonomy
under Turkish Rule
⊳ Bessarabia and Batum to Russia ( map, p.13)
⊳ Bosnia-H. to Austria
⊳ Cyprus to Britain ( also the right to send war ships to the Black
Sea)
The Significance of the Berlin Treaty
⊳ The Russian domination on the Balkans was prevented
⊳ The Turkish behaviour on the Balkan people became under control
⊳ The Balkan countries were not given independence; the Treaty crushed
down the idea of nationalism ( for a moment!)
⊳ Germany´s and Bismarck´s influence on the European affairs
increased→ B. prestige as a statesman at its height.
The Alliance System / Bismarck
⊳ The impact of the Berlin Treaty of 1878
- The Turkish question was solved for a moment..
- Russian hostility
- Austria-Hungary became the priority for Bismarck→ The Dual
Alliance, 1879 between Germany and Austria-Hungary ( a secret pact)
* against Russian military attack
* an attack by any other country would require neutrality
Dreikaiserbund II, 1881
⊳ Russia felt herself unsecure and Bismarck pressured

Austria to join
⊳ The neutrality of the partners if she was at war with
another Power
⊳ German security was increased; no Russo-Franco-
hostility against Germany in the near future..
The Triple Alliance, 1882
⊳ Could Bismarck count on Russian´s reliability?
* attempts to Franco-Russian alliance..
• Germany, A-H. and Italy ( Bismarck did not consider Italy one of the
Great Powers..)guaranteed their neutrality or either support whenever
they were attacked by France or by Russia
- G. and I. were entitled to support from each other against an attack
by France
- If A.-H. was attacked by Russia; italy would stay neutral, but would
secure the Southern frontier of Austria
Bismarck and colonies, 1884-90
⊳ Bismarck felt himself and Germany quite confident because of the alliance
system→ he changed his approach on the colonial system and decided to
favour the policy of acquiring colonies
Why?
⊳ Colonies might serve a useful political purpose
( elections of 1884..)
⊳ Colonies would benefit the German economy ( new markets, raw
materials..)
⊳ Use imperialism as a way of distracting attention from social problems in
Germany
Colonies/ Bismarck
⊳ In 1884-85 claims to territories in Africa ( map. P.45)
- Togo
-Cameroon
- South West Africa
- German East Afcia ( 1890)
* B. wanted to challenge British commercial and imperial interests, but by
the late 1880´s B. made concessions to Britain and was satisfied with a
bit smaller area from East Africa ( ” My map of Africa lies in Europe.
Here is Russia and here is France and we are in the middle”)
The Bismarckian system under Pressure, 1885-90
⊳ The Question on Bulgaria
- Revolts
- an enlarged independent Bulgaria was established ( British proposal,
France and Italy backed)→ Russia forced the Prince of Bulgaria to
abdicate → Austrians warned Russia for further interference
- Bismarck took no sides, Russians refused ot renew the
DREIKAISERBUND
* secret Russian-German alliance in 1887
The Reinsurance Treaty of 1887
⊳ G. regognised Russian´s right to influence in Bulgaria, R´s control of
the Dardanelles Straits ( when needed!)
⊳ If either power was at war, the one should stay neutral- unless France
or either Austria-Hungary were the object of attack.
⊳ Bismarck was playing with two cards
⊳ International tension was increasing: Mediterranean agreements,
French revenge, Russia/Austria-Hungary and the Balkans..
The Mediterranean Agreementss, 1887
⊳ Bismarck encouraged Britain to make an agreement with
Italy and Austria-Hungary to defend the status quo in both
the Mediterranean and the Far East
⊳ Britain to check Russia in Bulgaria and at the Straits, if
necessary, Austrian troops and British warships with Italian
backing would come to help..
⊳ Again Bismarck was playing with two cards..
Bismarck´s foreign policy 1871-90:
Success or Failure?
⊳ ” His concern was the security of the German Empire; his
achievement was the domination of Europe” Discuss this view
of B. foreign policy.
⊳ To what extent is it fair to say that B. foreign policy, 1871-90
was a success?
The Road to the First World War
CAUSES
• Long-term causes
- Alliance system
- Economic and Imperial rivalry
- the Arms race
- Battle plans
- public opinion
- Balkan nationalism
⊳ Short-term causes
- crises between 1905-13 ( Balkan nationalism, colonial
rivalry in Africa)
- battle plans
- public opinion
- the Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
( paving the way for the Blank Cheque)
The Alliance system and German foreign policy after
Bismarck
⊳ B. was replaced by Caprivi in 1890; the Reinsurance Treaty with Russia was
not renewed
⊳ ” a New Course” - Rejecting the Bismarckian system
⊳ G.´s international position was weakened, lacked a clear sense of direction
⊳ The Schlieffen Plan was worked out in the 1890´s: a military strategy to
combat the Franco-Russian combination: to avoid a two-front war
simultaneously
- first to take over France and then German forces would move to the
eastern front to fight against the Russians
⊳ Hopes for an alliance with Britain: Germany failed to secure
it
- G. made concessions to Britain in Africa
- Britain´s rivalry with France and Russia
-- a huge disappointment!
• Germany, the troublemaker!
- an agreement with Russia?
-” The Kruger Telegram”, supported the independence of
Transvaal ( against Britain)
The Introduction of Welt Politik, 1890´s
⊳ ”World Policy”
- emphasis on expansion, overseas expansion and the
creation of a big navy
- Bulow / Foreign ministry
- Admiral von Tirpiz/ the head of the navy office
* to become a World Power!
World policy / Welt Politik
⊳ German´s unstable and old-fashioned political system dominated
by Kaiser
⊳ Response to socialism and democracy
⊳ Imperialism was to substitute for unwanted social change
( industrialisation; the growth of middle class and the industrial
classes)
⊳ Results; Kiaochow, Shantung from China, some islands in the
Pacific
⊳ Entente Cordiale / France+ Britain was a setback
Long-term/ short- term causes for WWI
⊳ Explain the causes with your pair
⊳ Interpretations
* F. Fisher ( Blank-Cheque by Germany)
* G. Lowes Dickinson ( alliances)
* Marxist historians; Lenin ( imperialism, economic
rivalry)
* F. Fellner ( Imperial frictions increased tension, Austria-
Slavs, Britain-colonies)
⊳ N. Ferguson ( The Arms Race, in 1914 Britain still in the lead– 29
Dreadnoughts ( BR) 17 ( Ger.)Britain was to be blamed !, G. was not
strong enough, wanted a war to be a world power!)
⊳ Churchill ( Battle Plans; British navy had plans for a swift intervention in
the German attack on Belgium and France)
⊳ R. Brooke ( public opinion; a view of war as a liberating experience)
⊳ James Joll ( alliances, Balkan question, the crises of 1905-13)
⊳ Kennan ( Franco-Russian alliance, mobilisation of Russia

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Europe and the First

World War (1871–

This section deals with the shorter- and longer-term origins

⊳ Russia felt herself unsecure and Bismarck pressured

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