1.

1 The Alliance System and International Rivalry

Reasons for the great tensions which By 1914 the continent was
finally exploded into war in 1914: dominated by two armed camps:
• The creation of Germany in 1871 and • The Triple Alliance (Germany,
French resentment over its defeat and Austria-Hungary and Italy). Became
loss of land in the Franco-Prussian War. the Central powers. They originally
• Tensions that arose over the building begun with a treaty between Germany
of competing overseas empires in the and Austria-Hungary:
late 19th century. • The Triple Entente (France, Britain
• Tensions over increased military and Russia). Became the Allies. They
spending, especially over Germany’s had begun with the Entente cordial
desire for a large navy. and the treaty of London

• The Franco-Russian Alliance of 1894. • 1879: The Dual Alliance. Germany

France and Russia promised to go to war and Austria-Hungary agreed to
if either was attacked by Germany. However, before war eventually support each other if either was
• 1904: The Entente Cordial. This broke out in 1914, many people attacked by Russia. Bismarck thought
‘friendly agreement’ between Britain regarded this system of competing that this agreement would prevent
and France was not a military alliance, alliances as being a good thing – war, as he assumed Russia would not
but did allow the two great enemies to as countries might be prevented be prepared to fight both nations.
become more friendly. from starting wars by the • 1882: The Triple Alliance. Italy joined
• 1907: The Triple Entente. This joined knowledge that their enemies had this alliance, with France added as a
the treaties between Britain, France and friends who would come to their potential enemy.
Russia together, but Britain was under rescue. This was based on the idea
no obligation to fight. of ‘deterrence’, that no country
The small nation of Belgium, which had would be crazy enough to begin a
been created from French and Dutch war that would engulf the whole
lands in 1830, was not a member of the continent.
Triple Entente. However, several Even if the Triple Entente did not
European powers –including Britain and guarantee that Britain would fight
Prussia – had signed the Treaty of to defend France or Russia if
London in 1839. either were attacked, it was clear
• This document laid out their promise that Britain was now on more
to defend Belgium if it was invaded. This friendly terms with these nations
was the legal basis for Britain joining the and that it had become
fighting in the late summer of 1914, increasingly wary of Germany.
when the German Army invaded
Belgium, on its way to France and broke • Britain’s negative feelings
its pact in the Treaty of London. towards Germany had been 1. German leaders may have felt that
• So Britain joined the war to defend prompted by the Kaiser’s desire to Germany was too powerful a rival for
Belgium, not to help France. create an empire and a navy that Britain, France and Russia – and that
would rival Britain’s. To the Kaiser, these countries would not allow it to
German leaders felt that if war between  Germany had now become grow and be successful.
the Great Powers of Europe was encircled by its enemies due to 2. Germany would have been aware
inevitable and it should strike before its the creation of the Triple Entente. that its great friend, Austria-Hungary,
friend, Austria-Hungary, grew any As a result, Germany’s leaders was becoming weaker due to
weaker and its enemy, Russia, grew any began to feel that war was only a increased ethnic tensions threatening
stronger. matter of time. the empire – and that Russia was now
• In August 1914, the military and  Britain now allied with France becoming stronger as it began to
political leadership of concluded that and Russia resolved to strengthen industrialise and catch-up with other
war should be risked 'now or never' if their military relationship. Safety nations.
they were to achieve their vision of in numbers!
Germany's destiny as a powerful
empire.
• As the war progresses other nations Nobody was sure how Britain would react if fighting broke out between
joined .The Triple entente became the Germany and its adversaries, France and Russia. It was clear that Britain
Allies with the addition of Italy, Serbia, was increasingly seeing Germany as a problem. Although the Alliance
Japan and USA to name a few. The Triple System had helped to keep the peace for many years, its existence ensured
Alliance became the Central powers if war did eventually break out on the European continent, then it would be
with the addition of the Ottoman a big war! Germany now actively looking for an opportunity, all that was
empire and the Bulgaria but loss Italy to needed was a spark set the wheels in motion.
the Allies.
1.2 Empires and Economics
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a period of enormous
colonial expansion by Western European powers, the United States,
Russia and Japan. These nations focused on building their empires
with new technological advances and developments, expanding their
territory through conquest, and exploiting the resources of the
colonised countries
During this period, the Western powers (and Japan) individually
conquered almost all of Africa and large parts of Asia. America had Much of the world remained independent in
only recently been created, but was largely restricted to the eastern the early part of the 19th century:
half of North America.
Britain had many trading interests around the world, but was only
really interested in securing ports and coastlines so that this could
continue trading. It was not interested in governing huge areas of land.
As overseas trade grew new bsiness opportunities were sighted.
Western, industrialised nations began to interfere more in less-
developed and unified foreign countries and to take them over.
• Germany, as a new nation, only had a small empire. By 1914 much of the world had not been
• This was also true of Italy which had been created in 1861. colonised by predominantly Britain and
• China was still independent, in theory but was very weak at this time France.
and was unable to stop foreign nations undermining it.
By1880s the best land and By 1914 almost 90 % was colonized
resources had been conquered with Ethiopia and Liberia (a nation
except for Africa. It became the that was set up by the United States
central stage for colonization. so freed slaves could return to Africa if
The European colonial rivalries they wished to remaining
had to play out their claims. Independent.
The ‘Scramble for Africa’ Franco Prussian war 1870-71
European motives included: For hundreds of years Prussia was a collection of states known as the holy Roman
• The desire to control valuable Empire which fell to Napoleon in 1806. The Congress of Vienna in 1814 founded
natural resources such as gold the German Confederation of 39 sovereign states. In 1866 Austria and Prussia
and diamonds. fought. Prussia won and united the 39 states under their rule as two halves. In
• rivalry with their competitors 1870 Auto Van Bismarch tricked France into a war by tampering the wording of a
• the quest for national prestige diplomatic telegram. The German states united and defeated France swiftly. The
• religious zeal the Christians patriotic fever led to the creation of one Germany on 18-01-1871. Kaiser Wilhelm I
thought that they had a duty to was proclaimed the Emperor in the Palace of Versailles in France. Germany
bring their God to the Africans so annexed Alsace and Lorrain as part of their settlement for the war. This lead to
their souls could be saved tension between the two nations as France lost its mineral reserves and was
constantly trying to get it back.
Britain was the First industrial nation and had the After unification Germany modernized quickly and by 1890 its
largest Empire. This allowed it to develop it economy products were competing against British products. As German
and become the richest country in the world sales increased it surpassed the British economy.
This period of great imperial expansion and rivalry added fuel to the fires of suspicion and resentment that were
already present in Europe at this time, due to earlier conflicts such as the Franco-Prussian War.
For Britain, in particular, the forcefulness of Germany was seen as a great threat to its empire on which its economy
and status depended so much.
1.3 Military Rivalry: Planning for a war
Military Rivalry is the Germany and Austria Hungary had
strive to have well established economic ties with
superior arms and each other and in the Balkans and the
weapons than your less industrialised Russia was not a
opponent, so that in threat. However in 1888 Russia
the event of conflict started building a railway to the area.
there would be a This could threaten their interest in
clear advantage. the future- A worry!
Militarism is a belief or system where Militarism and two other In the 19th and early 20th centuries, military
the military is glorified and its needs are ‘isms’, nationalism and power was considered a measure of national
given excessive importance or priority. imperialism, were all and imperial strength. A powerful state
Militarism was a powerful force in 19th intrinsically connected. needed a powerful military to protect its
and early 20th century Europe. While They were systems, interests and support its policies. Strong
militarism alone did not start World War ideologies or ways of armies and navies were needed to defend the
I, it fueled a potent arms race and thinking that reinforced homeland, to protect imperial and trade
undermined the role of diplomacy as a and strengthened each interests abroad and to deter threats.
means of resolving disputes. other.
The Naval Race between Germany and Dreadnought Late 19th and early 20th-
Great Britain between 1906 and 1914 It was designed around the firepower century militarism fueled an
created huge friction between both nations of heavy guns and powered by steam arms race that gave rise to
and a reason for WWI. turbines, these huge vessels made all new military technologies and
The British royal navy was the best in the other warships obsolete. In both increased defense spending.
world. It protected the island from invasion countries, the public encouraged by Militarism also shaped culture,
and could blockade enemy ports. Its main the press, demanded more the press and public opinion.
purpose was to protect trade. Britain relied battleships. Germany could not hope Newspapers held up military
upon imports and its prosperity rested on to match the Royal Navy in the short leaders as heroes, painted
seaborne trade. Any treat to the navy was a term. Their ships were called the 5 rival nations as dangerous
threat to the nation itself. minute ships as that is how long they aggressors and regularly
From 1898 onwards, Germany began to could stand against the dreadnought. speculated about the
create a battle fleet. From 1906, this race In 1910 it began to redirect much of possibility of war.
became focused on the British dreadnought its defense spending to the Army.
The Russian army was the largest in The Austria Hungary army was Britain’s army was very strong. The
number. However Russia was not not experienced army like its allies BEF were the first to respond and
industrially developed as the other or its neighbours. In addition their helped prevent the success of the
nations and were poorly equipped and war plans were based on outdated Schlieffen plan.
needed the help of allies. information. It expected to defeat Lloyd George ensured that the
One of the purposes of the failed Serbia in 2 weeks and Russia in 6. conveyer belt system produced
Gallipoli campaign was to arm the Its expenditure on arms was low enough ammunition and the convoy
Russians to break the stale mate on the but it’s Skoda factories did system kept overseas supplies coming
eastern front produce an enormous canon into the country.
The German Army in 1914 comprised of 700,000 men. Within a week of A territorial army of volunteers’ were
mobilization some 3.8 million men were under arms. As industrial capacity trained to support the regular army
and innovation expanded it allowed the army better equipment and and officer training corps were run in
movement ability. However it did not expect to fight on two fronts at the schools. This was to train boys to be
same time, which may have cost it the war in the end. officers.
The French army were always ready to The US declared war against Germany on 2-4-1917. It had a standing
confront Germany. Most these troops were army of 127,500. By the end of the war, four million men had served
deployed inside France with the bulk along the in the United States Army. In addition it was able to supply the most
eastern frontier as part of Plan 17. advanced weapons to end the war
The Schlieffen Plan was Germany’s plan to win Plan XVII was France plan to counter attack the Schlieffen plan
WWI and take control of Europe and the world