Causes of WWI Cascade

Causes of World War I [Revision Cascade]

This Cascade will give you points and ideas for writing an answer about any of the topics in the list. And, when it comes to revision, you can use it to test your memory of the points and ideas you might want to raise in the exam.

Click on the yellow arrows to reveal the paragraph points, and again to reveal ideas for developing the point.

I have given you five points for every topic but, in practical terms for the exam, you will probably get away with remembering three or four.

1. Triple Alliance: Causes
- a. Bismarck's genius
  - The German Chancellor Bismarck realised that Germany – a new country in 1871 – needed allies and security.
- b. France wanted revenge
  - France wanted revenge on Germany for defeat in 1870, so Germany needed an ally.
- c. Affinity between Germany and Austria
  - Germany and Austria – German-speaking countries – were natural allies.
- d. Austria needed an ally
  - Austria – fearing Russian expansion in the Balkans – needed an ally.
- e. Italy needed an ally
  - Italy – fearing French expansion in North Africa – needed an ally.

2. Triple Alliance: Development
- a. German Empire, 1871
  - The German Empire was proclaimed after defeating France in a war.
- b. Dual Alliance, 1879
  - A defensive alliance (if either was attacked) between Germany and Austria.
- c. Triple Alliance, 1882
  - Italy joined the Dual Alliance.
- d. Reinsurance Treaty lapsed, 1890
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II failed to renew the promise of neutrality between Germany and Russia; he concentrated instead on his alliance with Austria.
- e. The Blank Cheque, 1914
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II promised to support Austria unconditionally against Serbia in 1914 ('the blank cheque').

3. Triple Alliance: Results
- a. Triple Entente
  - A counter-alliance of France, Russia and Great Britain to 'balance' the Triple Alliance.
- b. Hostile alliances
  - European divided into two opposing blocs.
- c. Mitteleuropa
  - The Triple Alliance created a strong central bloc dominated by Germany.
- d. Reinsurance Treaty lapsed
  - The Triple Alliance encouraged Kaiser Wilhelm II to abandon the Reinsurance Treaty in 1890.
- e. The Blank Cheque
  - The Triple Alliance led Kaiser Wilhelm II to support Austria against Serbia in 1914 ('the blank cheque').

4. Triple Entente: Causes
- a. Franco-Prussian War
  - France hated Germany for defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870.
- b. Reinsurance Treaty lapsed
  - Russia felt isolated after the collapse of the Reinsurance Treaty in 1890.
- c. Mitteleuropa
  - France and Russia feared a German-dominated Triple Alliance in central Europe.
- d. Weltpolitik
  - The Triple Entente was a response to Kaiser Wilhelm II's policy of colonial expansionism.
- e. End of Britain's 'splendid isolation'
  - The Triple Entente marked Britain's decision to end its 'splendid isolation' policy of not getting involved in European affairs.

5. Triple Entente: Development
- a. Reinsurance Treaty lapsed, 1890
  - This ended the alliance between Russia and Germany; Russia approached France.
- b. Franco-Russian Entente, 1894
  - A defensive alliance against attack by the Triple Alliance.
- c. Entente Cordiale, 1904
  - Britain accepted French influence in Morocco; France recognised British power in Egypt.
- d. Algeciras Conference, 1906
  - Britain and Russia supported France against Germany in the Tangier Crisis.
- e. Anglo-Russian Entente, 1907
  - An agreement to end conflict over Afghanistan.

6. Triple Entente: Results
- a. End of Britain's 'splendid isolation'
  - Britain got involved in European diplomacy, and prepared for war
- b. Triple Alliance strengthened
  - Supported by Austria and Italy, Germany felt emboldened
- c. Hostile alliances
  - European divided into two opposing blocs
- d. Arms race
  - All nations expanded their military forces, frightened of appearing weaker than their enemies .
- e. First World War
  - The historian Sidney Bradshaw Fay said the alliance system was the main cause of the First World War

7. British diplomacy before 1914: The end of 'splendid isolation'
- a. Treaty of London, 1839
  - Britain's trade depended on the English Channel – which was why Britain promised to defend Belgium against occupation by a foreign power
- b. Fear of Weltpolitik, 1901
  - Britain was alarmed at Germany's growing sea-power, trade and imperial ambitions
- c. Anglo-Japanese naval alliance, 1902
  - To allow the British navy to concentrate on Germany
- d. Entente Cordiale, 1904
  - Britain accepted French influence in Morocco; France recognised Britain in Egypt .
- e. Triple Entente, 1907
  - A defensive alliance between Britain, France and Russia

8. Kaiser Wilhelm II's Weltpolitik: Causes
- a. Kaiser Wilhelm II's psychological problems
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II was born with a withered arm, and was weak and inadequate as a child
- b. Economic strength
  - Germany was the most powerful industrial economy in Europe, very wealthy
- c. 'A place in the sun'
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II felt Germany deserved an empire as big as Britain's
- d. Trade
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II wanted the right to trade wherever Germany wanted .
- e. Militarism
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II loved Germany's huge army, and believed Germany could win any war

9. Kaiser Wilhelm II's Weltpolitik: Policies
- a. 'A place in the sun'
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II felt Germany deserved an empire as big as Britain’s
- b. Mitteleuropa
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II wanted a strong German-dominated central European state
- c. Naval power
  - In 1898, Kaiser Wilhelm II ordered Admiral Tirpitz to build a navy as strong as Britain's
- d. Daily Telegraph interview, 1908
  - In which Kaiser Wilhelm II called the English people 'mad' .
- e. Berlin-Baghdad railway
  - A 1903 plan to build a railway from Germany to the Middle East

10. Kaiser Wilhelm II's Weltpolitik: Results
- a. Growing international tension, 1890–1914
  - Fearing German ambitions, countries made alliances and built up their armies
- b. Tangier Crisis, 1905
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II's attempt to intervene in Morocco led to an international crisis in 1905
- c. Triple Entente, 1907
  - Germany's aggressive foreign policy led France, Russia and Britain to join together in a defensive alliance
- d. Dreadnought Crisis, 1909
  - British crowds demanded 'We want eight' Dreadnoughts in response to Germany's growing navy .
- e. Agadir Crisis, 1911
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II's attempt to intervene in Morocco led to an international crisis in 1911

11. Tangiers Crisis: Causes
- a. Wilhelm's Weltpolitik
  - The Tangiers Crisis was a direct result of Kaiser Wilhelm II's demand for 'a place in the sun' for Germany, including a colonial empire
- b. Conflicting imperial ambitions
  - Britain, France and Germany had conflicting imperial ambitions in North Africa
- c. Triple Entente
  - Germany wanted to destroy the Entente Cordiale by provoking a crisis in Africa
- d. French protectorate, 1904
  - In 1904, France tried to establish a protectorate, supported by Britain and Spain .
- e. Wilhelm visited Tangiers, Mar 1905
  - In March 1905, Kaiser Wilhelm II visited and offered Morocco protection against France

12. Tangiers Crisis: Events
- a. French protectorate, 1904
  - France tried to establish a protectorate, supported by Britain and Spain
- b. Wilhelm visited Tangiers, Mar 1905
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II visited and offered Morocco protection against France
- c. Britain intervened, Jun 1905
  - Britain and French public opinion forced the French government to take a stand against Germany
- d. Germany and France mobilised, Dec 1905
  - Both Germany and France began to call up their armies .
- e. Algeciras Conference, 1906
  - Germany was forced to back down

13. Tangiers Crisis: Results
- a. Strengthened the Entente Cordiale
  - Britain and France had worked together closely to thwart Germany
- b. Caused the Triple Entente
  - Russia supported France and Britain, and joined the Entente in 1907
- c. Germany was humiliated
  - Germany had been forced to back down at the Algeciras Conference
- d. Growing international tension
  - Fearing German ambitions, countries made alliances and built up their armies .
- e. Agadir Crisis, 1911
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II was angry, which led him to attempt to intervene in Morocco again in 1911

14. Agadir Crisis: Causes
- a. Wilhelm's Weltpolitik
  - The Agadir Crisis was a direct result of Kaiser Wilhelm II's demand for 'a place in the sun' for Germany, including a colonial empire
- b. German navy
  - Britain was alarmed at Germany's growing navy
- c. Conflicting imperial ambitions
  - Britain, France and Germany had conflicting imperial ambitions in North Africa
- d. Moroccan rebellion
  - In April 1911 the French put down a rebellion in Morocco and took over .
- e. The Panther Gunboat
  - In July 1911, Kaiser Wilhelm II sent The Panther to Agadir in Morocco 'to protect Germans'

15. Agadir Crisis: Events
- a. Moroccan rebellion, Apr 1911
  - The French put down a rebellion in Morocco and took over
- b. The Panther Gunboat, 1 Jul 1911
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II sent The Panther to Agadir in Morocco, allegedly ‘to protect Germans’
- c. Mansion House speech, 21 Jul 1911
  - British PM Lloyd George declared that peace was not worth national humiliation
- d. The 'Panther Jump', 26 Jul 1911
  - i.e. the British fleet moved towards Morocco (the term 'Panther Jump' came to be used for 'a show of force' to frighten off an opponent) .
- e. Treaty of London, Nov 1911
  - Germany backed down in return for 100,000 square miles of the French Congo

16. Agadir Crisis: Results
- a. France annexed Morocco
  - The French conquered all Morocco, which became part of the French Empire
- b. Germany was humiliated
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II was angry at being humiliated, and was determined to try again
- c. Strengthened the Triple Entente
  - Britain and France had worked together successfully to oppose German aggression
- d. British Navy strengthened
  - The British decided to improve their navy, and move from coal to oil power .
- e. Growing international tension
  - The Agadir Crisis exacerbated the underlying international problems, alliances, arms race, militarism, imperialism and suspicion

17. Bosnian Crisis: Causes
- a. Weak man of Europe
  - By 1900, Turkey was 'the weak man of Europe' and had lost control of the Balkans
- b. Balkan Panslavism
  - The Balkan nations were nationalistic and aggressive
- c. Austria feared nationalism
  - Austria feared that growing Panslavism would destabilise its 'polyglot' (multi-racial) empire
- d. Russian ambitions
  - Russia was allied to the Balkan nations and wanted access to the Mediterranean .
- e. German ambitions
  - Germany was allied to Turkey and wanted to build a Berlin–Baghdad railway

18. Bosnian Crisis: Events
- a. Bulgaria rebelled, 5 Oct 1908
  - Bulgaria declared independence from the Turkish Empire
- b. Austria annexed Bosnia, 6 Oct 1908
  - Austria–Hungary declared that it was annexing Bosnia to protect the people there
- c. Serbia mobilised, 7 Oct 1908
  - Serbia mobilised its army, supported by Russia
- d. Germany supported Austria, 22 Mar 1909
  - Germany demanded that Russia accept the Austrian annexation .
- e. Russia backed down, 23 Mar 1909
  - Russia backed down, and Serbia and Turkey were forced to back down too

19. Bosnian Crisis: Results
- a. Strengthened the Triple Alliance
  - Germany had fully backed Austria and successfully forced Russia to back down
- b. Russia was humiliated
  - Nicholas II felt humiliated and determined not to abandon Serbia again
- c. Increased international tension
  - The Bosnian Crisis exacerbated the underlying international problems, alliances, arms race, militarism, imperialism and suspicion
- d. Austria feared Serbia
  - The Serbs hated Austria and continued to demand Bosnia .
- e. Sarajevo Crisis
  - Tension between Austria and Serbia was not resolved, and would flare up again in 1914 when Franz Ferdinand was assassinated

20. The Arms Race: Causes
- a. Militarism
  - Governments believed that war was a valid method of international diplomacy
- b. Balance of Power
  - The belief that countries would not dare to go to war if you had a huge army
- c. France hated Germany
  - France hated Germany for conquering Alsace–Lorraine in 1870–1871 and wanted it back
- d. Germany feared encirclement
  - Germany felt surrounded and intimidated by the Triple Entente .
- e. Britannia Ruled the Waves
  - The British felt Germany wanted naval supremacy and was threatening the British Empire

21. The Arms Race: Facts
- a. Increase in spending
  - Spending of the Great Powers on armaments increased fourfold, 1870–1914
- b. German Navy Law, 1900
  - German Admiral Tirpitz announced a huge programme of warship-building
- c. Dreadnought Crisis, 1909
  - In 1909, British crowds demanded 'We want eight' Dreadnoughts in response to Germany's growing navy
- d. Germany's huge army
  - In 1914, Germany's army numbered 2.2 million men plus 6 million reservists .
- e. Russia's growing army
  - Russia's army was the fastest growing, and by 1914 stood at 1.2 million men

22. Anglo-German naval race: Facts
- a. German Navy Law, 1900
  - German Admiral Tirpitz announced a huge programme of warship-building
- b. HMS Dreadnought, 1906
  - Britain launched HMS Dreadnought (made the Germany navy obsolete)
- c. Naval arms race, 1907–1914
  - A race to build dreadnoughts
- d. Dreadnought Crisis, 1909
  - In 1909, British crowds demanded 'We want eight' Dreadnoughts in response to Germany's growing navy .
- e. Britain 29 v Germany 17
  - By 1914 Britain had 29 Dreadnoughts; Germany had 17

23. The Arms Race: Results
- a. Militarism
  - It was part of the belief that war could solve international problems
- b. Growing international tension
  - As their rivals’ armies grew, countries became more afraid of them
- c. German militarism
  - The huge German army made people think that Germany wanted to rule the world
- d. 'War the sooner the better'
  - The rapidly growing Russian army made German General Moltke want war (1912) – 'the sooner the better' .
- e. War seemed inevitable
  - By 1914 there was a belief that war was inevitable

24. Austria-Hungary: aims in the Balkans
- a. Prevent Russian expansion
  - e.g. during the Bosnian Crisis of 1908
- b. The Pig War, 1906
  - Austria tried to damage the Serb economy by banning imports of Serbian pork
- c. Annex Bosnia, 1908
  - In 1908 Austria took advantage of a revolution in Turkey to annex Bosnia
- d. General Hotzendorf proposed war
  - Hotzendorf advised a 'surprise' war to destroy Serbia on more than 25 occasions 1906–14 .
- e. Planned invasion of Serbia
  - In 1913, an invasion was planned but did not take place

25. Serbia: aims in the Balkans
- a. Panslavism
  - To unite all the Balkan Slav races into a ‘Greater Serbia’
- b. The Black Hand
  - A terrorist group of Serb nationalists dedicated to Panslavism
- c. Bosnian Crisis, 1908
  - The international crisis provoked by Austria–Hungary’s annexation of Bosnia in 1908
- d. Balkan Wars, 1912–13
  - Serbia became the most powerful country in the Balkans .
- e. Nikola Pasic wanted to destroy Austria
  - In 1913, he said: ‘Now for the second round – against Austria’

26. The Black Hand: Facts
- a. Union or Death
  - It was a terrorist group of Serb army officers dedicated to Panslavism
- b. Led by Apis
  - Colonel Dimitrijevic (codename ‘Apis’) was the Serbian Head of Intelligence
- c. Banned, 1909
  - After the Bosnian Crisis, the Serb government banned it, so it went underground
- d. Assassination attempts
  - Attempts to assassinate Franz Josef (1911) and Franz Ferdinand (January 1914) failed .
- e. Sarajevo, 1914
  - The Black Hand provided the weapons

27. Assassination at Sarajevo: Causes
- a. The Black Hand
  - A terrorist group of Serb nationalists dedicated to Panslavism; a group of six sympathisers plotted to kill Franz Ferdinand
- b. Franz Ferdinand’s reforms
  - Franz Ferdinand’s pro-Slav beliefs undermined the Black Hand; the assassins wanted to increase tension in the region
- c. Serbia’s National Day
  - Holding the parade on 28 June was a direct affront to Serb nationalists
- d. Poor police protection
  - Only 120 policemen were on duty to protect Franz Ferdinand; the driver took a wrong turn into Princip’s path .
- e. Gavrilo Princip
  - One of six assassins – a Serb terrorist trained by the Black Hand – it was he who shot Franz Ferdinand and Sophie

28. Assassination at Sarajevo: Events
- a. Troop review, 9:28am
  - Franz Ferdinand and Sophie arrived in Sarajevo by train
- b. Mehmed Mehmedbasic, 10:00am
  - Mehmedbasic was one of six assassins lined up along the Appel Quay; he lost his nerve
- c. Nedeljko Cabrinovic, 10:05am
  - Cabrinovic threw a bomb at the cortege but missed; he took poison which did not work
- d. Town Hall, 10:45am
  - A furious Franz Ferdinand cancelled the visit and left the Town Hall .
- e. Gavrilo Princip, 11:00am
  - The driver took a wrong turn and stopped in front of Princip, who shot them both

29. Assassination at Sarajevo: Results
- a. Initial calm, 28 Jun 1914
  - There was shock but no international alarm; Kaiser Wilhelm II went on holiday
- b. The Blank Cheque, 5 Jul 1914
  - The Austrian government approached Kaiser Wilhelm II and got a promise of support; Austria saw the assassination as a chance to attack Serbia
- c. Austrian Ultimatum, 23 Jul 1914
  - Austria sent Serbia ten tough demands (i.e. seeking an excuse to invade)
- d. Clause Six, 25 Jul 1914
  - The Serbs agreed everything except clause 6 (which proposed to send Austrian police and judges into Serbia – this was against the Serb constitution) .
- e. Austria–Hungary declared war, 28 Jul 1914
  - The declaration of war was seen as unreasonable after Serbia’s ‘capitulation’

30. Events leading to War: Facts
- a. Serbia asked Russia for help, 28 Jul 1914
  - (Remember that Russia had let Serbia down in 1909)
- b. Russia ordered a general mobilisation, 30 Jul 1914
  - However Tsar Nicholas assured Germany the Russian mobilisation was only directed at Austria–Hungary
- c. Germany declared war on Russia, 1 Aug 1914
  - Kaiser Wilhelm II likened Russian mobilisation to letting an enemy put a gun to your head; Germany mobilised and declared war on Russia
- d. Germany invaded Belgium, 2 Aug 1914
  - (c.f. the Schlieffen Plan) – also, on 3 August, Germany invaded France .
- e. Britain declared war on Germany, 4 Aug 1914
  - To honour the 1839 Treaty with Belgium

31. How Alliances caused the War: Key points
- a. The Blank Cheque, 5 Jul 1914
  - The Austrian government approached Kaiser Wilhelm II and got a promise of support; Austria saw the assassination as a chance to attack Serbia
- b. Russia mobilised to help Serbia, 30 Jul 1914
  - (Remember that Russia had let Serbia down in 1909)
- c. Germany declared war on Russia, 1 Aug 1914
  - Russian mobilisation was ‘a loaded gun’ because Russia was in the Triple Entente
- d. The Schlieffen Plan, 2 Aug 1914
  - The Schlieffen Plan was designed for a war on two fronts against the Triple Entente .
- e. Britain declared war on Germany, 4 Aug 1914
  - To honour the 1839 Treaty with Belgium (the ‘scrap of paper’)

32. The Schlieffen Plan: Facts
- a. Took nine years to devise, 1897–1906
  - The Plan was named after the German army chief of staff, Alfred von Schlieffen; it was immensely detailed and complex (especially the railway timetables)
- b. Expected war on two fronts
  - The Plan (wrongly) thought that any war would be a simultaneous war against France and Russia
- c. Imagined a quick campaign against France
  - The Plan (wrongly) thought that France could be defeated quickly and easily
- d. Envisaged an overwhelming attack on France
  - The Plan proposed 90% of the Germany army would attack France through Belgium .
- e. Planned to fight Russia after France
  - The Plan (wrongly) thought that Russia would take 6 weeks to mobilise

22. The Schlieffen Plan: How it helped cause WWI
- a. It was a plan of attack
  - It did not allow Germany to fight Russia but not France – which was the situation in 1914
- b. It was Germany’s only plan
  - Germany had no plan for a defensive mobilisation – so German mobilisation would start the war
- c. Russia was mobilising too quickly
  - It did not allow for Russia was mobilising before France went to war – which was the situation in 1914
- d. It involved invading Belgium
  - It involved attacking France through Belgium – which brought Britain into the war .
- e. Railway timetables
  - The historian AJP Taylor argued that the complexity of the railway timetables meant that the Schlieffen Plan, once started, could not be halted

34. Who was to blame? Some Ideas
- a. Serbia – Panslavism and Sarajevo
  - Serbian aggression and support of the Black Hand allowed the assassination
- b. Austria – Serbia and ultimatum
  - Austria was determined for a war with Serbia which started the slide to war in 1914
- c. Russia – Balkans and mobilisation
  - Russia’s Balkans ambitions and mobilisation provoked Germany’s attack
- d. Germany – Weltpolitik and the Blank Cheque
  - German aggression and desire for ‘war the sooner the better’ frightened Europe; the Blank Cheque promise encouraged Austria to declare war on Serbia .
- e. Britain – Empire and Dreadnoughts
  - Britain’s huge empire and demand for naval domination provoked Germany

35. Interpretations: Historiography
- a. Treaty of Versailles
  - Clause 231 assigned responsibility to Germany "for causing all the loss and damage"
- b. Revisionists
  - In the 1920s and '30s, Sydney Bradshaw Fay blamed general forces - nationalism, imperialism, militarism and the system of alliances
- c. Anti-revisionists
  - After the Second World War, Fritz Fischer and AJP Taylor blamed a 'will to war' among Germany's leaders. Luigi Albertini especially blamed the German Schlieffen Plan.
- d. Modern historians
  - Modern historians have assigned elements of blame to ALL the countries - there was a 'will to war' in all Europe.
- e. Ruth Henig
  - blamed (1989) a 'failure of statesmanship and hope' - the general feeling among Europe's leaders that only war - not diplomacy - could solve Europe's problems.