WWI Study Guide: Causes

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Unit VII: WWI Study Guide: Causes IB Syllabus Details: The First World War • Diplomacy, alliances, ententes • Imperialism, arms race • Nationalism, incidents, Balkan wars • Social and economic changes during and after the War • Versailles and other treaties • Post-war economic and political problems Study Questions: 1. Why were both the French and the British concerned about German aspirations after 1870? 2. What developments led the British to abandon their “splendid isolation”? 3. How were European international relations affected in the years 1905 to 1913 by the crises over a) Morocco and b) the Balkans? Quotes: How far do you agree with the following quotes? 1. “It had long been felt that a unified Germany would revolutionize the relationships of the European peoples; after 1870 these anticipations were confirmed.” 2. “The Serbs conceived of their small kingdom as the Piedmont of the South Slav Risorgimento.” 3. “The Balkan crisis of 1914 proved fatal because two others had gone before it, leaving feelings of exasperation in Austria, desperation in Serbia, and humiliation in Russia.” 4. “Although it is not true that Germany started the war, as its enemies in 194 popularly believed, it must be granted that its policies had for some years been rather peremptory, arrogant, devious, and obstinate.” 5. “The alliance system was an obvious cause of the war, but it was only a symptom of deeper trouble- the world had an international economy but a national polity.” Identification: Know what each item is and its importance. Dual Alliance 1879 “Splendid isolation” Triple Alliance Franco-Russian Alliance Entente cordiale Triple entente Annexation of Bosnia Black Hand Sarajevo crisis German “blank check” WWI Study Guide- Course of War Study questions: 1. What happened to the German Schlieffen Plan when it was put into operation? How did the battle of the Marne affect the character of the war? 2. How would you summarize the major military campaigns of 1915 and 1916? What was the general state of affairs at the end of 1916? 3. What form did the British naval blockade take? German submarine warfare? 4. What success did both sides have in finding new allies in 1914 and 1915? Why did Italy decide to join the Allies? 5. How did each side appeal to discontented nationalist groups? Why could the Allies be more successful? 6. Why may it be said that the war accelerated prewar imperialist tendencies? In what sense was this true of the Allies? What expansionist aims did the Germans reveal? 7. To what degree did technology effect the outcome of the war? Quotes: How far do you agree with the following quotes? 1. “After the failure of the Schlieffen Plan the war of movement in the West settled into a war of position.” 2. “To the Allies a long war gave many advantages.” 3. “Each side tampered with minorities and discontented groups living within the other’s domain.” Identification: Know what each item is and its importance. Central Powers Zimmerman telegram Battle of Tannenberg Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Dardanelles campaign Schlieffen Plan Battle of Verdun trench warfare Battle of the Somme planned economy Battle of Jutland secret treaty of London 1915 Wilson’s 14 Points .

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World War I Concept Learning Outline Objectives
AP European History: Period 4.1 Teacher’s Edition World War I Concept Learning Outline Objectives I. Long-term causes of World War I 4.1.I.A INT-9 A. Rival alliances: Triple Alliance vs. Triple Entente SP-6/17/18 1. 1871: The balance of power of Europe was upset by the decisive Prussian victory in the Franco-Prussian War and the creation of the German Empire. a. Bismarck thereafter feared French revenge and negotiated treaties to isolate France. b. Bismarck also feared Russia, especially after the Congress of Berlin in 1878 when Russia blamed Germany for not gaining territory in the Balkans. 2. In 1879, the Dual Alliance emerged: Germany and Austria a. Bismarck sought to thwart Russian expansion. b. The Dual Alliance was based on German support for Austria in its struggle with Russia over expansion in the Balkans. c. This became a major feature of European diplomacy until the end of World War I. 3. Triple Alliance, 1881: Italy joined Germany and Austria Italy sought support for its imperialistic ambitions in the Mediterranean and Africa. 4. Russian-German Reinsurance Treaty, 1887 a. It promised the neutrality of both Germany and Russia if either country went to war with another country. b. Kaiser Wilhelm II refused to renew the reinsurance treaty after removing Bismarck in 1890. This can be seen as a huge diplomatic blunder; Russia wanted to renew it but now had no assurances it was safe from a German invasion. France courted Russia; the two became allies. Germany, now out of necessity, developed closer ties to Austria.
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