1 / 24

The road to war

The road to war. I The alliance system II International rivalry. International rivalry before 1914. The role of Germany The arms race Colonial rivalry Crises in Morocco and the Balkans. The role of Germany. Creates suspicion and tension –especially after 1890.

kelly-rojas
Download Presentation

The road to war

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The road to war I The alliance system II International rivalry

  2. International rivalry before 1914 • The role of Germany • The arms race • Colonial rivalry • Crises in Morocco and the Balkans

  3. The role of Germany Creates suspicion and tension –especially after 1890

  4. Role of Germany –Kaiser Wilhelm II • Personal ambitions for a strong Germany • Unpredictable and interfering • Up sets Britain and othersEg Kruger telegram 1896, Daily Telegraph affair 1908, refuses to renew Reinsurance treaty with Russia

  5. The role of Germany Militarism strong – Eg captain of Kopenick!

  6. The role of Germany-WELTPOLITIK • Weltpolitik – use it to get mass support for the kaiser and the ruling elite • Seats won by the Social Democratic Party in parliament

  7. Weltpolitik • Increase German prestige abroad – get involved in international politics • « drang nach osten » • Berlin – Baghdad railway • « Place in the sun »

  8. Naval arms race • Tirpitz and Navy laws, 1898, 1900 • « risk theory » • Britain - the TWO POWER STANDARD • Naval Arms race starts .

  9. HMS Dreadnought 1906 • Armour plating • Guns • speed;

  10. The Naval arms race intensifies • « we want 8 and we won’t wait » • Kiel canal - opened 1914 • Navy league influential in Br and Ger • Created impression Br & Ger enemies

  11. Colonial rivalry • Not much interest in colonies up to the 1870s • New Imperialism • Scramble for Africa 1870-1900 • Struggle for China 1895 - 1905

  12. Reasons for the « new imperialism » • Economic motives • National security • Nationalism and national prestige • Social Darwinism « survival of the fittest »

  13. How serious were colonial rivalries? • On occasions they damaged relationships eg Fashoda crisis 1898, Moroccan crises 1905, 1911 • Overall the conflicts were a long way from home – they did not cause the war to start.

  14. CRISES - in Morocco • First Moroccan crisis 1905/06 • Germany wanted to test the strength of the Entente Cordiale. • 1905, Kaiser lands in Tangiers & demands » open door » in Morocco

  15. CRISES - in Morocco • Conference held at Algeciras 1906 • Germany defeated & Br and Fr closer together • Germany makes the Schlieffen plan, France – plan 17

  16. The Schlieffen plan

  17. CRISES - in Morocco • 2nd Moroccan crisis 1911 – the Agadir crisis • French troops Vs rebels • German gunboat – the Panther sent to Agadir • Br and Fr hold firm • Lloyd George – Mansion House speech • Germany backs down BUT public opinion furious with Britain

  18. CRISES – in the Balkans • Bosnian crisis 1908 • Austria annexes Bosnia • Germany supports Austria • Russia furious and humiliated – won’t let that happen again! • Serbia angry – hostile to Austria

  19. CRISES – in the Balkans • The First Balkans war 1912 • Balkan league attacks Turkey • Would Russia or Austria get involved? • International peace settlement arranged • Serbia angry because Austria blockes her access to the sea. • War Council meeting in Germany

  20. CRISES – in the Balkans • The second Balkans war 1913 • Bulgarians unhappy with the peace settlement • Bulgaria attacks Serbia • Other Balkan countries help Serbia • Br and Ger stop Austria from helping Bulgaria

  21. CRISES – in the Balkans • Consequences of the second Balkan war • Serbia strengthened and ready to stir up trouble for Austria • Austria determined to end Serbia’s ambitions ( a preventative war ) • Germany thought Britain would co-operate if there was another crisis

  22. CRISES – in the Balkans • Sarajevo 28th June 1914 • Archduke Franz Ferdinand assassinated • Austria sees a chance to finish Serbia • Gets « blank cheque » from Germany • Ultimatum to Serbia, then war declared • Russia mobilises • Germany launches Schlieffen plan • Britain declares war

  23. The First world war begins July / August 1914

More Related