Ella Sipe - First World War Reading 1 Questions
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First World War Reading #1 – Reading Guide
Causes and Effects of 20
th
Century Wars, 2
nd
ed. (Pearson Baccalaureate)
pp. 10-13 “The Franco-Prussian War”
1.
Why did the Prussians fight France in 1871?
The Prussians were fighting to unify the smaller German states in the region,
which had fractured after the Napoleonic Wars. Prussia, under the leadership of
Otto von Bismarck, aimed to become the dominant German state of Europe,
competing with Austria. The well trained Prussia military crushed France in 1871.
2.
What was the impact of the Franco-Prussian War on France?
The impact of the Franco-Prussian War was harsh punishments. France lost
valuable territory, had to pay reparations of 5,000 million marks (with the
Prussian army occupying the country until the debt was paid). Prussia had a
victory march through Paris, and the German emperor was coronated in the
Palace of Versailles.
Many political and social problems followed the humiliating defeat, and many of
the French desiresed revenge for the undermining.
3.
How did the Prussian wars of unification affect what Europeans understood
about modern warfare?
Prussian unification altered what Europeans understood about modern warfare,
showcasing the importance of a quick, efficient army that was well trained and
well equipped. The people who ran the army had to be competent and remain
organized. Modern warfare would also be relatively short and rely on effective
transportation.
pp. 17-21 “Long-term Causes of World War One”
4.
What were German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck’s aims in creating the alliance
system?
Bismarck created a complex web of alliances for Germany with other strategic
countries. The aim was to protect Germany from future attack so that the new
nation could focus on gathering power and influence throughout Europe.
Specifically, Germany wanted to keep France isolated while staying allied with
Russia in order to prevent the possibility of fighting a theoretical war on two
fronts.
5.
List the countries involved in the following alliances:
a.
Dual Alliance (1879) - Germany and Austria-Hungary
b.
Triple Alliance (1882) - Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
c.
Reinsurance Treaty (1887) - Germany and Russia
6.
What were the characteristics of Kaiser Wilhelm II’s “new course” of foreign
policy? What was
Weltpolitik?
Some characteristics of Wilhelm’s “new course” were the dismantally of the
intricate alliances Bismark fought to create. The Reinsurance Treaty with Russia
expired, and France entered the Franco-Russian Alliance with Russia in 1894.
This meant that Germany could now face a theoretical war from two fronts.
Weltpolitik was the German policy of bolstering the nation’s empire and navy in
the hopes of becoming a colonial power. The policy was also meant to distract
the public from the internal issues the country struggled with.
7.
What factors contributed to increasing imperialism between 1880 and 1905?
Colonial rivalry was one of the factors that contributed to increasing imperialism
between 1880 and 1905. Colonies were created with economic intent, perfect for
extracting the raw materials quickly and cheaply, and creating new markets to
sell finished goods. Imperialism also expanded as a result of the shifting social
attitudes, and the idea that Western civilization was destined to spread across
the globe.
8.
How did Kaiser Wilhelm II respond to the Jameson Raid? Why did his response
anger Britain?
Kaiser Wilhelm responded to the Jameson Raid by sending a telegram
congratulating the leader of the Boer republic who successfully resisted an
attempted uprising at the hands of the British. This response angered Britain
because he stated that the British were “disturbers of the peace” and were
considered “attacks from outside”. It depicted Great Britain very poorly.
9.
Who was Admiral Tirpitz? How did he advance the Kaiser’s goals for Germany?
Admiral Tirpitz was the Secretary of State for the Navy in Germany. He believed
the Germans should build a navy to rival that of the superpower of the time
period, Great Britain. He pushed this agenda by passing naval laws through the
German Parliament to find the build up of the navy.
10.In response to Germany’s naval laws, who did Britain seek alliances with?
Britain made an alliance with Japan, and an entente with France. The entente
was not a formal alliance, however it setted colonial disputes and altered
Anglo-French relations.
11. What was the Triple Entente?
Russia, France, and Britain joined together in the Triple Entente, a sudo-alliance,
or friendship reassurance between the three world leaders.
12.What was the
Dreadnought
? How did it contribute to the Anglo-German naval
race?
The Dreadnought was a British super-battleship, the first of its kind, a
revolutionary piece of technology that rendered battleships of the past nearly
obsolete. It contributed to a “naval scare” and led to the rapid construction of
more battleships by both sides, spurring forward the naval arms race.
13.What interests did each of the following powers have in the Balkans?
a.
Turkey - Turkey had once ruled all of the Balkans, but a series of revolts
meant it was struggling to hold onto remaining territory.
b.
Austria-Hungary - Austrians had lost their grip on the multi-ethnic empire,
as many nationalities wanted to break away to create an independent
nation with the help of neighboring Serbia.
c.
Russia - Russia was sympathetic to the Slav people and saw themselves
as a champion of them. Russia also wanted access to the Straits of
Constantinople, as the warm-water ports were essential to the country's
survival.
pp. 22-30 “Short-term Causes: The Crisis Years (1905-1913)”
14.In the following chart, summarize how each event contributed to tensions
between the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente.
First Moroccan
Crisis
- Failure by Germany to disrupt the Entente Cordiale, and actually
strengthened it instead
- Germany was now viewed as a threat to British interests
- An era of peace was coming to a close, as many nations considered
the possibility of conflict should war breakout
Bosnian Crisis
- Russia was humiliated in front of the world when it was defeated by
Japan, making it difficult to maintain international power, influence,
and status
- Serbian involvement contributed to nationalist sentiment
- Ended the cooperation between Russia and Austria-Hungary in the
Balkans
- Germany now pushed for Austro-Hungarian expansion instead of a
restraining approach
Second Moroccan
Crisis
- German public was hostile to the result of the crisis and how it was
handed, seeding unrest
- The entente between Britain and France became even stronger
- Tension and hostility between Germany and Britain was at an all
time high
First Balkan War
- Resulted in the creation of Alvania, placed in between Serbia and
the Adriatic Sea
- Created even more resentment and conflict between Serbia and
Austria-Hungary
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Second Balkan War
- Serbian success resulted in extreme nationalist feelings within
Serbia
- Serbia doubled in size and proved itself militarily to the rest of the
world
- Strengthened relations with Russia
- Austria-Hungary became determined to abolish Serbia
- Major diplomatic defeats for Germany
15.What was the purpose of the Schlieffen Plan?
The Schlieffen Plan was created by Count Alfred von Schlieffen, a German Field
Marshal. The plan was created to respond to the threat posed by the Triple Entente and
the difficulty fighting a two-front war. The plan outlined how to quickly defeat France in a
possible war, depending on the estimate that it would take such a large country that was
Russia six weeks to prepare for war. It was later modified by Schlieffen's successor, but
contained many estimation errors and miscalculations.