The Steps to War: World War One

1
The Steps to War World War One

• Scott Parr

2
The Concert of Europe

• This was a period of no fixed alliances
• Nations could, and did, go to war with each other
  and then, a few years later, team up to fight a
  different enemy
• The Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871 made France
  and Germany bitter rivals (France lost Alsace and
  Lorraine, two provinces)

3
Alliances The End of the Concert of Europe

• In 1879 Germany signs a permanent alliance with
  Austria-Hungary called the Austro-German Alliance
  (the Dual Alliance)
• In 1882 Italy is encouraged to join and this
  creates the Triple Alliance

4
The German Rationale

• The goal of these alliance was to keep France and
  Russia from creating an alliance against Germany
• The German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck feared a
  two front war
• Bismarck forced the Russian government in 1887 to
  sign The Reinsurance Treaty which forced them
  to remain neutral for 3 years.

5
Rival Alliances Form

• In 1890 the Reinsurance Treaty lapses and Kaiser
  Wilhelm II decides it is not needed
• France immediately signs a treaty with Russia for
  mutual protection The Franco Russian Alliance

6
Imperial Conflict

• European nations were in competition for colonies
  around the world
• Britain, with the largest empire in the world was
  the model for all other nations

7
Britain and France Settle their Differences

• French and British military forces met at a place
  in the Sudan called Fashoda
• The French decide to give in to the British,
  thereby setting the stage for a later military
  alliance

8
The Entente Cordial

• In 1904 the British sign an entente
  (understanding) with the French.
• The British agree to help defend France if the
  neutrality of Belgium or the Netherlands is
  violated
• The new arrangement is called The Triple
  Entente and includes France, Britain and Russia

9
Years of Crisis

• The Moroccan Crisis 1905 Germany tests the new
  Entente
• Russo-Japanese War of 1905 Russian fleet
  destroyed by the Japanese
• Bosnian Annexation Crisis 1908-9, Russia fails to
  aid Bosnians
• First and Second Balkan Wars, 1911 1912
  Ottoman Empire begins to collapse and Russia
  appears weak

10
The Two Alliances

• Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary
  Italy)
• Triple Entente (Britain, France Russia)

11
The Assassination

• The Austrian heir to the throne, Archduke Franz
  Ferdinand was assassinated while parading through
  the streets of Sarajevo on June 28th, 1914 by
  Gavrilo Princip, a member of the Serbian Black
  Hand terrorist group

12
War Becomes Inevitable

• On July 23, 1914, Austria-Hungary delivers an
  ultimatum to Serbia
• Serbia accepts the terms, but Austria declares
  war anyway
• Russia hesitates, but decides to defend Serbia, a
  Slavic country like Russia
• This meant that the other members of each
  alliance were now at war too
• Since the great powers were world powers, it
  became a world war.