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.
AlliancesOverview By 1914 Europe was divided into two hostile camps - the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy) versus the Triple Entente (France, Russia and Great Britain), each hating and scared of the other, who had promised to join in any war any of their allies got involved in..
Facts 1. In 1904 France made an agreement with Britain called the Entente Cordiale (= ‘Friendly Relationship’ – not a formal alliance, but a promise to work together). 2. In 1902 Britain made a naval treaty with Japan. 3. Russia was (dangerously) also allied to Serbia in the Balkans
Effects of the Alliances1. 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 .
Arms RaceOverview All the great powers of Europe raced each other to build the biggest and best armed forces.
Britain and Germany had an arms race to see who could build the bigger navy..
Facts 1. In 1914, including 'reservists' (trained men who could be called up), the Germans had an army of 8.5 million men, an the Russians had an army of 4.4 million.
2.
The German Navy Law of 1900 planed to
build many warships to challenge the British Navy.
3. In 1908 the British public
demanded that the government build 8 new Dreadnought warships to stop a
German invasion - they shouted: 'We want 8 and we won't wait'.
Results/importance of the Arms Race1. The HUGE German Army made other countries think that Germany wanted to rule the world. 2. 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 - in 1912, the German general Moltke said: 'War the sooner the better'.
3.
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Revision Focus This is a Paper 1 topic, so concentrate on learning: 1. WHAT happened 2. EFFECTS/ Importance Linkse-book on the background to WWI.
Spidergrams:
• Examples
of the long-term causes of war
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