Prelude to War

A. The Bismarckian System 1.

Systems of alliances

2.

New unified GR upset balance of power

3.

1873 - Three Emperor’s’ League: GR, A-H, RS

B. The Balkans: Decline of Ottoman Power 1. Decline of Ottoman Empire, Rise of Nationalism 2. A-H & RS both want territory

3. Conflict in 1876 – Serbia & Montenegro declare war on Ottomans 4. 1878 - Treaty of San Stefano 5. 1878 - Congress of Berlin

C. New Alliances 1. RS ended Three Emperors’ League in 1879 2. 1879 – Bismarck makes alliance with A-H

3. 1881 – GR forms secret alliances with A-H & RS = Alliance of Three Emperors 4. 1882 – Italy joins GR & A-H = Triple Alliance of 1882

5. 1887 – RS declined to renew alliance, Bismarck suggested RS-GR Reinsurance Treaty 6. 1890 – Emperor William II dismissed Bismarck

D. New Directions and New Crises 1.

William II dropped Reinsurance Treaty

2.

1894 – Alliance between FR & RS

3.

GR policies pushed BR away

4.

1905 – GR upset over FR expansion into Morocco

5.

1907 – Triple Entente of BR, FR, RS

E. Crisis in the Balkans, 1908-1913 1.

Bosnian Crisis of 19081909 - Austria annexed Bosnia & Herzegovina

2.

RS threatened war against A-H

3.

1912 – First Balkan War – Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro & Greece formed Balkan League, defeated Ottomans

4. 1913 – Second Balkan War – Greece, Serbia, Romania & Ottomans against Bulgaria 5. London Conference – Arranged by A-H after Balkan Wars, created independent Albania 6. Europe on the brink of war

F. Outbreak of War 1.

Increasing tension in Balkans

2.

Assassination of Francis Ferdinand June 28, 1914 in Sarajevo

3.

Heir to A-H throne with wife Sophia

4.

Assassinated by Serbian revolutionaries – “Black Hand”

5. A-H wanted revenge – delivered ultimatum to Serbia 6. GR’s “Blank check” 7. A-H declared war on Serbia July 28, 1914

G. Declarations of War 1.

Military war plans aggravated diplomatic and political decisions

2.

July 29, 1914 – Tsar Nicholas II ordered full mobilization of RS army

3.

Aug.1, 1914 – GR declares war on RS

4.

Schlieffen Plan

5.

Aug. 2, 1914 – GR sends ultimatum to BLG demanding right to march thru

6.

Aug. 3, 1914 – GR declares war on FR

7.

Aug. 4, 1914 – GB declares war on GR

8.

All great powers of EU entered war

H. Contributing Factors 1. Nationalism  competition instead of cooperation 2. Internal Dissent  not every ethnic group had its own nation-state, growing Socialist labor movements 3. Militarism  growth of mass armies, military influence in politics 4. A-H’s desperation to survive  rash decisions

5. GR expanded small war into big war  invasion of BLG

Study Questions 1.

How did Bismarck’s system of alliances help maintain peace? How did Kaiser William II’s actions destabilize Bismarck’s system?

2.

Discuss the diplomatic developments that led to the creation of two rival blocks of power in Europe by 1914.

3.

What role did nationalism play in the outbreak of the First World War? What impact did the Congress of Berlin (1878) have on the Balkan area? What were the origins and causes of the Third Balkan War in 1914?

4.

Which of the major powers do you believe was most responsible and least responsible for the war? Explain.