PULLOO.IN | WH004 | 1 World War I 1914 - 1918 Start : Assassination of Archduke of Austria France Ferdinand in 1914 End : Treaty of Versailles 1919 World War I : The Great War ● 9 Million soldiers killed ● 12 Million civilians died ● Affected almost every nation. The World in 1914 The world was dominated by Europe. Europe was in two alliance or group 1. Triple Alliance: Germany + Austria-Hungary + Italy 2. Triple Entente: Britain + France + Russia Germany was the leading power in Europe. ● Leading in Economy and in Military ● Leading in production of Pig-Iron and Steel (But not in coal) ● Even Britain, Russia and France were behind Germany Outside Europe: ● Japan was strong ○ After winning the Russia-Japanese war of 1904-05 ● USA was strong ○ Leading producer in the world w.r.t. Pig Iron, Steel and Gold ○ Just behind Germany and Britain. Political System of the States ● Democratic System: In U.S., Britain and France ○ Power with Parliament ● Democratic Monarchy: Germany. ○ Parliament exist, but real power with the king ○ Reichstag: Power ○ King/Kaiser had the power ● Monarchy: Italy, Japan ○ Most power with Monarchy ○ Parliament exist but right to vote only to the landed elite ● Autocratic/Absolute rule: Russia, Austria ○ Parliament exists. ○ King is absolutely powerful ○ Russia ruled by Czar Alliances PULLOO.IN | WH004 | 2 ● 1871 Franco-Prussian War ○ France got defeated ○ German unification happened ○ Alsace and Lorraine taken from France, by Germany ○ Germany became the chief arbitrator of Europe ○ France's rivalry with Germany started. ○ Thus the alliances started: To isolate France. ● 1879 Dual Alliance with Austria - Germany ● 1882 Triple Alliance Italy - Austria - Germany ● Reinsurance Treaty with Russia - Germany ○ Russia having territorial issue with Austria due to claims on Balcan regions in Austria ○ Russia cannot join Triple Alliance ○ Therefore, The bilateral reinsurance treaty ● Kaiser William II takes the throne: Bismarck resigned ○ William II wanted to control Weltpolitik: World politics. ○ Increasing Navy. ○ Reversal of Bismarck’s policy began: i.e. moving away from diplomatic ways ○ Unhindered support to Austria ( even for Balkan states) ○ Reinsurance Treaty failed ● 1891 Dual Alliance of France - Russia ○ Ended the isolation of France. ● 1894 France Britain Alliance ● 1904 Triple Entente Britain joined ○ Britain joined due to the increased navel expenditure of Germany ○ Direct threat to Britain Small Events before the War ● Moroccan Crisis 1905-06 ○ Morocco of NW Africa: Not under any European nation ○ The Triple Entente 1904 agreement ■ France accepted the sovereignty of Britain over Egypt ■ Britain accepted to support French takeover of Morocco ○ Germany aimed to capture Morocco ■ Promises the Sultan of Morocco to maintain the country's independence. ■ Demanded an international conference in Spain for this cause. ■ Germany clear of the older Anglo-French rivalry hoped for the ● Fall of Triple entente and ● Thus control over Morocco ○ Britain was clear to keep the French ties ■ Morocco to Germany was a dangerous move. ○ Spain International Conference ■ France got marvellous support from Britain, France, Russia, Italy and Spain. ■ A serious diplomatic lose to Germany PULLOO.IN | WH004 | 3 ● British Agreement with Russia 1907 ○ Britain and Russia were not having a healthy relation before. ■ Considered Czar, Ruler of Russia as anti-democratic ■ Competed for many territories: Persia, Afghanistan, Tibet ○ 1904-05 Russia defeated by Japan ■ Indicated the military weakness of Russia ○ Czar started to give some power to the citizen ○ British rethought the relation: Decided for a mutual talk ● Bosnia Crisis ○ Bosnia: Province of Turkey ○ Bosnia was wanted by two other states Serbia and Austria-Hungary. ○ Congress of Berlin’s conclusion on the matter ■ Bosnia will remain with Turkey ■ Administered by Austria ■ No Serbia in picture ○ New Gov. led by Young Turks in Turkey: Young military officers ■ Wanted Austria to vacate Bosnia ○ Austria attacked and annexed Bosnia. ○ Serbia ■ Serbia had 3 million Serbian population in Bosnia ■ Serbia asked Russia’s support ■ Russia called for an International conference. ○ Conference ■ Germany supporting Austria ■ French: withdrew ■ Britain protested against Austria, but stayed away: withdrew ■ Russia after the 1904-05 defeat did not wanted another defeat: withdrew ■ Austria got Bosnia. ○ Effect ■ Serbia angry with Austria ■ Russia spending more on military ● Agadir Crisis 1911 ○ Agadir: A port town of Morocco ○ France occupied city of Faze: To suppress a revolt against the Sultan of Morocco ■ It seems like France may capture whole of Morocco ○ Germany send a gunboat named Panther to Agadir ■ To pressurise France ■ To give some areas. ■ Britain worried as Agadir was a trade route ○ Effect ■ Germany accepted Morocco being a protectorate of France ■ Germany got two stripes of land in French Congo. ■ Public opinion in Germany became anti Britain ■ Britain was spending more on Navy PULLOO.IN | WH004 | 4 ● Sick man of Europe: Turkey - Ottoman Empire ○ Ottoman Empire collapsing under its own weight for the last 100 Years: Reason ■ Large area of empire ■ More proportion having Christian population ○ Balkan states ■ Under Turkey ■ S.E. Europe ■ Between: Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Aegean Sea and Black Sea ■ Current Nations of the region: Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Serbia, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Moldova, Greece ○ Balkan States wanted freedom and separate states. ○ Two Balkan wars happened ○ Other nations (Russia, Austria) too got involved ● First Balkan War 1912 ○ Balkan League: Serbia, Greece, Montenegro, Bulgaria. Wanted their own states. ○ Attacked Turkey ○ Britain and Germany organized a peace conference ■ Serbia wanted Albania ■ Austria did not want this to happen ■ Britain and Germany supported Austria ■ Albania remained a separate state. ■ Serbia was enraged ● Second Balkan War 1913 ○ Bulgaria was unhappy of the decisions from first war ■ Bulgaria expected to get Macedonia. But ■ Macedonia was given to Serbia ■ Blamed Serbia ○ Bulgaria attacked Serbia ○ Serbia had most support: Greece, Romania etc. ○ Bulgaria got defeated ○ Treaty of Bucharest 1913 ■ Bulgaria had to surrender all of its gain from first war to other countries ● Consequences of Balkan wars ○ Serbia became very strong ○ Austria still determined to nip the strength of Serbia ○ Britain-German cooperation gave a false notion to Germany, that Britain is detached from France and Russia. PULLOO.IN | WH004 | 5 Causes of World War I ● Alliance: ○ Started by Bismarck ■ Secretive diplomatic alliances ■ To isolate France. ■ To strengthen Germany ○ End result ■ France got alliances ■ Russia grew skeptical about Germany's intent. ■ Europe got into an Arms race ● Ultra Nationalism ○ Balkan States: Wanted their own nations due to their diversity. Grew strong nationalism ○ Germany: Citizens considered Germany as the greatest nation. ○ France: Wanted its lost regions of Alsace and Lorraine ○ Rivalry against neighbours too grew ● Militarism ○ Britain and German raised to get naval and military supremacy. ○ European arms race due to the growing suspicion on German intent. ● Imperialism: a policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means. ○ Moroccan crisis ○ Agadir Crisis | Second Moroccan crisis ○ Bosnian Crisis ● Character of William Kaiser II ○ Took throne in 1888 | Bismarck resigned in 1890 ○ Over ambitious ○ Weltpolitik: ■ He used to say that - World needs Germany for civilization. ■ Either world power or fall ○ Navel expansion. ○ Pan German league: To unite all German speaking group of every region and state ○ Other states were worried by the actions of Germany. ● No international institution: Which could prevent any wars. ○ League of nation came after WW1 ○ UN came after WW2 ○ Everyone truly sovereign and independent ○ Suspicious of others intentions ● Alsace - Lorraine ○ France needed this territory back ○ Other nation supported France PULLOO.IN | WH004 | 6 Immediate Cause ● Assassination of Prince of Austria ○ Archduke Francis Ferdinand along with his wife ○ Nephew of Emperor of Austria ○ Assassinated on 28 June 1914 ○ By a man of Serbian origin, but a native of Bosnia. ○ At Sarajevo: Capital of Bosnia ○ Serbia was held responsible. ○ Austrian news filled with this info ○ Germany had offered unconditional support to Austria ● Dispatch to Serbia from Austria: On 23 July 1914 ○ 10 Major demands ○ 48 hours deadline to accept the demands. ○ Only in totality the demands could be accepted. Not partwise. ○ Dictatorial demands ■ A court to look into this assasination headed by Austrian officials ■ Anti-Austrian propaganda to be stopped ■ Termination of Serbian Secret Society ■ Removal of several specific Serbian army officers ○ The time and the demands were not acceptable ○ Due to pressure from big powers Serbia had accepted many of the demands ○ But not the whole demands World War I ● 28 July 1914: Austria invades Serbia ● 31 July 1914: ○ Russia declared war against Austria ○ Germany declared war against Russia ○ France declared war against Austria - Germany ● 2 August 1914: Germany ultimatum to Belgium ○ A free pass by Belgium to let German army to cross ○ Else a war will be declared ○ Belgium Treaty of Neutrality 80 years ago with 5 major powers ■ That Belgium will remain neutral ■ 5 powers: Britain, France, Prussia, Austria and Russia ● 5 August 1914: Britain declared war on Austria - Germany ○ Due to Belgium Treaty of Neutrality