Revision Diary

1900-1914: Alliances and Arms Race

The alliance system and the Arms race.

Make sure you have detailed factual knowledge about AND HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT the following issues and topics:

WHY DID TENSION INCREASE IN EUROPE 1900-1914?

1. A description of the Alliance System before the war.

2. The effects of the Alliances.

3. A description of the Arms Race before the war

4. The effects of the Arms Race.

WHY DID TENSION INCREASE IN EUROPE, 1900-1914?

The Alliance System

Background	Background of tension & rivalry (e.g. nationalism and imperialism - esp over Germany's growing power): • Militarism - made the 'safety' of alliances seem more necessary • Balance of Power - politicians before the war thought that alliances would KEEP the peace by acting as a deterrent.
Meat	• At first, the German Chancellor Bismarck had kept Germany friendly with Russia. Kaiser Wilhelm overturned this, and concentrated instead on the Dual Alliance of 1879 between Germany and Austria-Hungary - which became the Triple Alliance (or Central Powers Alliance) when Italy joined in 1882. • To counteract this strong central bloc: a. France in 1892 made an alliance with Russia, and b. In 1904 France made an agreement with Britain called the Entente Cordiale (= ‘Friendly Relationship’ – not a formal alliance, but a promise to work together). c. In 1907, Britain made an entente with Russia, thus forming the Triple Entente (France, Russia, Great Britain). d. In 1902 Britain made a naval treaty with Japan. e. Russia was (dangerously) also allied to Serbia, Roumania and Bulgaria in the Balkans.
End	• Thus by 1914 Europe was divided into two hostile camps, each hating and scared of the other, both obligated to join in any war any of their allies got involved in.

Revision Focus

This is a Paper 1 topic, so concentrate on learning:

1. WHAT happened

2. EFFECTS/ Importance

Links

e-book on the background to WWI.

Spidergrams:

• Examples of the long-term causes of war

• How did the long-term causes of war cause war?

Powerpoints:

• Alliances ppt. swf.

• Arms Race ppt. swf.

Effects of the Alliances

1. The Triple Alliance frightened France, who saw it as part of a German plan to take over Europe

2. The Triple Entente alarmed Germany, which felt itself surrounded by the France-Russia alliance.

3. Britain's alliance with Japan allowed the British navy to concentrate on European waters - which alarmed Germany and led to the naval crisis in 1908.

4. The alliances led to confrontations (e.g. Algericas 1906 - the French opposed Germany over Morocco because they knew that they would be supported by Britain and Russia)

5. The alliances led countries to be more aggressive (e.g Austria in 1914 after Germany's 'blank cheque')

6. Caused the war?

Note that it is arguable that Alliances were the main cause of the war.

The countries of Europe thought that the alliance system would act as a deterrent to war; there is an argument that in fact it tied them together so that in 1914 when one country went to war, the others HAD to follow (e.g. Germany's 'blank cheque' to Austria/ Russia supports Serbia/ Britain supports Belgium)

The Arms Race

Background	Background of tension & rivalry (e.g. nationalism and imperialism - esp over Germany's growing power): • Alliances - made the 'safety' of military power seem more necessary • Balance of Power - politicians before the war thought that huge armed forces would KEEP the peace by acting as a deterrent. • Militarism is not just an arms race, but also a government's attitude of mind, seeing war as a valid means of foreign policy. Germany was especially militaristic.
Meat	• All the countries of Europe built up their armies and navies. In 1914, their armed forces stood like this: • Germany: 2.2m soldiers, 97 warships • Russia: 1.2m soldiers, 30 warships • France: 1.1m soldiers, 62 warships • Great Britain: 700,000 soldiers, 185 warships • The countries of Europe trained all their young men so that if there was a war they could call up, not only on the standing army, but huge numbers of trained 'reservists' - they could thus call upon: • Germany: 8.5 million men • Russia: 4.4 million • France: 3.5 million • Dreadnought Crisis of 1908: by the German Navy Law of 1900, Germany was increasing its navy, which frightened the British public, who demanded that the government build 8 new warships: 'We want eight and we won't wait' chanted the crowds.
End	• In 1914 the German army was the biggest and best in the world - But the Russian army was growing the fastest, and German generals were worried that, in a few years time, they would not be able to defeat Russia.

Effects of the Arms Race

1. As one country increased its armies, so all the others were frightened and felt obliged to increase their armed forces to keep the ‘balance of power’.

2. The German Navy Law of 1900 frightened the British and led to the Dreadnought crisis of 1908.

3. The HUGE German Army convinced the other countries that Germany wanted to dominate Europe (e.g. British novels imagined what would happen if the Germans invaded).

4. Equally, there was a feeling among German generals that they COULD win a war

5. The Russian army was growing the fastest, and German generals were worried that, in a few years time, they would not be able to defeat Russia - so at a meeting with the Kaiser in 1912, the German general Moltke said: 'War the sooner the better'.

6. Caused the war?

Note that it is arguable that the Arms Race was the main cause of the war.

There is an argument that if you have huge military forces eventually you are going to use them; the fact that they HAD huge armies made it easier for governments to suggest a military solution to foreign policy problems.