Which reasons do they miss out?

Which reasons do they discuss?

Watch the two comical versions of the causes of the war.

CHALLENGE: How does the purpose of the two sources change their explanation of the causes?

ANGLO-GERMAN NAVAL RACE

1st and 2nd MOROCCAN CRISES

FORMATION OF ALLIANCES

FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR

ASSASSINATION OF FRANZ FERDINAND

SCHLIEFFEN PLAN

BALKANS CRISIS

RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR

CAUSES OF WW1

IMPERIAL RIVALRY

FORMATION OF ALLIANCESWhat happened?

How did it lead to war?

What SPERM factor?

Long/short term?What does this source show?

In 1878-81 Germany, Austria Hungary & Italy secretly agreed to protect each other. By 1907 France, Britain and Russia entered a ‘friendly agreement’ (entente) too. Britain also had an old treaty with Belgium (see & ).

The secrecy and agreements helped build tension and hostility between countries. When anything sparked war between two of these countries, the others were now likely or certain to be dragged in (e.g. ).

Political

Long-medium

This British illustration shows the Triple Alliance plus their other ally Turkey, ‘rounded up’ (like sheep?!) by all the countries around them. The Triple Alliance were also known as the Central Powers and their central position was a problem for them (see also )

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FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR What happened?

How did it lead to war?

What SPERM factor?

Long/short term?What does this source show?

In 1870-71 Germany was not one country. The main part of what would become Germany, Prussia, fought France and captured Paris in 1871. It took Alsace-Lorraine, near the border, from France.

The war built tension and hostility. France wanted revenge and it wanted Alsace-Lorraine back. After the war, the German ‘states’ joined together as one nation, creating ‘Germany’, a new and very powerful country. The war also gave Germany confidence in its military abilities, its fast rail network, and its modern artillery technology. They had already captured Paris once (see ).

Military

Long

This map shows the area of Alsace Lorraine in south-eastern France / south-western Germany. It was taken by Germany as part of the agreements after the Franco-Prussian War and it would be a centre of rivalry and anger between the two countries right up until 1945!

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IMPERIAL RIVALRYWhat happened?

How did it lead to war?

What SPERM factor?

Long/short term?

What does this source show?

Between the 1600s & 1900s, European countries (Spain, Portugal, Britain, France, Belgium, the Nether-lands, and eventually Germany) built up powerful empires around the world, conquering other lands.

Being “biggest bullies” in the world “playground” made countries rivals. By 1900 the empires were bigger and more valuable than ever so the European countries were ever more determined to protect them. When Germany started to build a new empire, this caused tension and hostility among the others. They would try anything to keep Germany down and keep their own empires strong. See .

Political; economic

Long

This map shows the British Empire in the 1800s. By 1900 huge parts of Africa had been added. Old-fashioned images of people and animals from the empire surround the map, looking respectfully at “Britannia” (representing Britain) in the middle.

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ANGLO-GERMAN NAVAL RACE

What does this source show?

What happened?

How did it lead to war?

What SPERM factor?

Long/short term?

As part of its drive to win an Empire, (see ) Germany needed a navy. This worried Britain, as it relied on its navy for safety, trade, and dominance of the empire. A ‘race’ began, to build more, bigger, better ships.

After German Kaiser (King) Wilhelm II announced his aim for a powerful navy in the late 1890s, Britain and Germany both began building new ships. This increased tension and hostility. Also, it built up both country’s confidence, meaning they were more likely to risk war. Some in each country might even relish the chance to try out these new armaments!

Political; military

Medium

Challenge! Can you link to economic?

This photograph shows HMS Dreadnought, a new type of ship launched by Britain in 1906. It was the largest, fastest, and best-armed ship on the sea – though barely saw action during WW1!

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What does this source show?

FIRST AND SECONDMOROCCAN CRISES

What happened?

How did it lead to war?

What SPERM factor?

Long/short term?

Morocco is in north-west Africa. It was independent (its own country) but very influenced by France, whose empire was next door in Algeria. In 1905, Germany tried to stop France building control of Morocco. War nearly began but Germany backed down. In 1911, France sent troops to Morocco to help the Sultan (King) stop a rebellion. Germany sent a gunboat to the Moroccan port of Agadir to warn France off. The Kaiser was determined not to back down again, but a compromise was reached.

These conflicts built tension and hostility. It showed Britain would support France so built confidence in France. It also made Germany more determined not to back down in the next crisis.

Military, political

Medium-short

This British cartoon shows the German Kaiser “crushing” Agadir with an “iron fist”, representing aggression. You can see the gunship Panther on the right. The cartoon tries to make him look silly with his bathing suit & bottom sticking out! Is it saying that he is making himself look silly? Is it saying that behind his “iron fist” he is really quite weak and will back down again?

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What does this source show?

RUSSO-JAPANESE WARWhat happened?

How did it lead to war?

Long/short term?

Russia had a land Empire extending over Asia. Japan was a rising modern power, eager for empire. The racist European empires did not take this Asian empire seriously. However, when these two countries fought in 1906-7, Japan won easily! This hugely embarrassed Russia.

The war showed that Russia, though huge, had very old-fashioned, ill-organised and ill-supplied armies. It could not fight a modern war very successfully. This added to German confidence and played a key part in the German Schlieffen Plan which relied on Russia being slow ( ).

Military

Medium-short

What SPERM factor?

This Japanese illustration shows a Japanese sailor kicking a Russian overboard. This represents the total Japanese victory in the war. The drawing is done in a traditional (old-fashioned) Japanese style but showing modern metal warships, technology and uniforms. Japan was very proud of being so modern. If you look closely you can still see a traditional Japanese sword.

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What does this source show?

BALKANS CRISIS

What happened?

How did it lead to war?

The Balkans, between Austria and Greece, in south-eastern Europe, is a very complex area. It has lots of different people, languages and ideas, as it lies at a meeting point of central Europe, Russia, and Asia (Turkey is just over the water). In 1908, Austria-Hungary invaded and took over Bosnia, a land full of people called Serbs. Nearby Serbia wanted Bosnia to be theirs, so were not very happy!

Austria-Hungary’s interference in the Balkans made Russia angry so built up tension and hostility. It also made the Serbs in both Bosnia and Serbia very angry (see ).

Long/short term?Military; political

Medium-short

What SPERM factor?

The main image at the heart of this cartoon is the Balkans being a “boiling pot” of future trouble! The leaders of Germany, Russia, Greece, Austria Hungary etc. are trying to “keep the lid on” but the message is that eventually it’s going to explode and cause trouble. This prediction came true! See .

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What does this source show?

SCHLIEFFEN PLAN What happened?

How did it lead to war?

Germany had a problem. Any war with the Triple Entente meant fighting France in the west and Russia in the East. German General von Schlieffen came up with a plan to attack France and knock it out within 3 weeks, taking advantage of Russia’s slow movement and poor transport (see ), then move troops east to face Russia.

This plan made sure that France would be dragged in to any conflict Germany had with Russia. It also dragged in Britain, because the speed and surprise of the plan relied on avoiding French defence along the German border by invading through Belgium (see map). Although Britain had not promised to fight for France, it did have a treaty with Belgium from 100 years before - so joined in!

Long/short term?Military

Medium-short

What SPERM factor?

This map shows how the plan was supposed to work. The short border directly between Germany & France (where the southern army is) was defended by a line of forts and guns called the Maginot Line. Germany hoped to race past with the northern army but Belgium – and Britain – put up unexpected resistance.

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What does this source show?

ASSASSINATION OF FRANZ FERDINAND

What happened?

How did it lead to war?

In 1908 Austria-Hungary had upset a group of people called the Serbs by taking over Bosnia (see ). Lots of Serbs lived in Bosnia, and lots lived in the next-door country - Serbia. In 1914, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Franz Ferdinand, visited Sarajevo in Bosnia. Serbian terrorists were waiting. After a series of bungled attempts, they shot him.

Austria-Hungary was enraged and invaded Serbia. Russia stepped in to protect Serbia. Germany, thanks to its agreement with Austria-Hungary, declared war on Russia! See . . Then because of the Schlieffen plan, it invaded France (see ). France & Britain both then declared war on Germany. Their big empires (see ) were dragged in. WORLD WAR ONE had begun.

Long/short term?Political

Immediate

What SPERM factor?This photograph shows the Serbian assassin who finally shot the Archduke, Gavrilo Princip, being arrested and dragged away by the Archduke’s guards.

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