Transcript European Diplomacy and the First World War 1870-1923

European Diplomacy and the changing balance of
power after 1870
Europe in 1870-1914
 The impact of the unification of Germany, 1871
-Germany became THE GREAT POWER OF EUROPE
* economic and political rivalry
• The 1870-1914 period is considered to be one of the most
momentous periods in the history of the modern world:
- time of industrial growth and urbanisation
- an age of imperialism
- an era dominated by nationalism
- each state produced more and more sophisticated
weapons and each believed itself superiour
→ the idea that the war could not be prevented!
The Great Powers of Europe
 Germany
 France
 Great Britain
 Austria-Hungary
 Russia
 Italy?
 The Ottoman Empire?
How did the Great Powers differ from each other in their
politics, economy and foreign policy aims?
 Make a mind map dealing with the Great Powers
Use these words:
- Parliamentary monarcy
- Kaiser and chancellor
- Authoriatarian state
- Dual monarchy
- Democratic republic
- Industrialisation
- Population growth
- Duma
- Autocracy
- Foreign loans
- Pan-Slavism
- Military power
- Trade
- colonial expansion
- slow economic growth
- slow population growth
- nationalities conflicts
- Balkan interests
- sea power
- battle fleet
The Eastern Question; Turkey
 Turkey= The Ottoman Empire
* map p. 13; ” European Turkey”
* The Sultan Rule faced problems; nationalism,
European interests ( Serbia, Austria-Hungary,
Russia..)
* Balkan states wanted to gain independence
* The Turkish economy was subjected to
European commercial groups ( which exploited the
Turkish economy)
→ Uprisings/ in 1909 a revolution in Turkey
Bismarck and Europe
 Bismarck´s aims/ foreign policy
* to guarantee peace!
* Germany was a very strong country; no
challenge from Austria-hungary/ Russia or from
France
* B. wanted to reassure the leaders of Europe that
he was a man of peace→ personal contacts between
the leaders → DREIKAISERBUND/ three Emperors
League in 1873
* the aim was to guarantee peace and stability
 ” the desire of the Emperors to stand together against
republicanism and socialism”
 To reduce the risks of war ( Austro-Russian interests in
Balkan)
 Consultations when needed, not a military alliance
 ” Is war in Sight”, Berlin Post-article in 1875- a
diplomatic warning for all other countries..
Bismarck and The Crisis of
1875-8, Turkey
 The Balkan area started to challenge the Turkish tule; Bosnia-
Herzegovina, in 1875→Christian peasants started an uprising, spread
to Bulgaria.. The Turks massacred over 10 000 Bulgarians
*Austrian interests, Russian interests ( Pan-Slavism), the British
interests →→ Bismarck wanted to follow a low approach, but was
forced to change his approach to a more active role to ENSURE
GERMANY´S SECURITY
• Russo ( Serbia) -Turkish war 1877-78, Russia won and dictated a
severe peace treaty of San Stefano → The European Turkey would
be reduced a lot and the Russian interests would be guaranteed
BUT OTHER GREAT POWERS DID NOT REGOCNISE THE TREATY
AND IT WAS REVISED ( Austria-H and Britain were ready to start a
war on Russia)→ The Treaty of Berlin of 1878, p. 23
The Berlin Treaty of 1878
 Bulgaria was divided into four; Northern part was
granted full independence ( under Russian
supervision), one for Turkey (Macedonia) and
Province named Rumelia was to get autonomy under
Turkish Rule
 Bessarabia and Batum to Russia ( map, p.13)
 Bosnia-H. to Austria
 Cyprus to Britain ( also the right to send war ships to
the Black Sea)
The Significance of the Berlin
Treaty
 The Russian domination on the Balkans was prevented
 The Turkish behaviour on the Balkan people became
under control
 The Balkan countries were not given independence;
the Treaty crushed down the idea of nationalism ( for a
moment!)
 Germany´s and Bismarck´s influence on the European
affairs increased→ B. prestige as a statesman at its
height.
The Alliance System / Bismarck
 The impact of the Berlin Treaty of 1878
- The Turkish question was solved for a moment..
- Russian hostility
- Austria-Hungary became the priority for
Bismarck→ The Dual Alliance, 1879 between
Germany and Austria-Hungary ( a secret pact)
* against Russian military attack
* an attack by any other country
would require neutrality
Dreikaiserbund II, 1881
 Russia felt herself unsecure and Bismarck pressured
Austria to join
 The neutrality of the partners if she was at war with
another Power
 German security was increased; no Russo-Francohostility against Germany in the near future..
The Triple Alliance, 1882
 Could Bismarck count on Russian´s reliability?
* attempts to Franco-Russian alliance..
• Germany, A-H. and Italy ( Bismarck did not consider
Italy one of the Great Powers..)guaranteed their
neutrality or either support whenever they were
attacked by France or by Russia
- G. and I. were entitled to support from each
other against an attack by France
- If A.-H. was attacked by Russia; italy would stay
neutral, but would secure the Southern
frontier of Austria
Bismarck and colonies, 1884-90
 Bismarck felt himself and Germany quite confident
because of the alliance system→ he changed his approach
on the colonial system and decided to favour the policy of
acquiring colonies
Why?
 Colonies might serve a useful political purpose
( elections of 1884..)
 Colonies would benefit the German economy ( new
markets, raw materials..)
 Use imperialism as a way of distracting attention from
social problems in Germany
Colonies/ Bismarck
 In 1884-85 claims to territories in Africa ( map. P.45)
- Togo
-Cameroon
- South West Africa
- German East Afcia ( 1890)
* B. wanted to challenge British commercial and imperial
interests, but by the late 1880´s B. made concessions to
Britain and was satisfied with a bit smaller area from East
Africa ( ” My map of Africa lies in Europe. Here is Russia
and here is France and we are in the middle”)
The Bismarckian system under
Pressure, 1885-90
 The Question on Bulgaria
- Revolts
- an enlarged independent Bulgaria was
established ( British proposal, France and Italy
backed)→ Russia forced the Prince of Bulgaria
to abdicate → Austrians warned Russia for
further interference
- Bismarck took no sides, Russians refused ot
renew the DREIKAISERBUND
* secret Russian-German alliance in 1887
The Reinsurance Treaty of 1887
 G. regognised Russian´s right to influence in Bulgaria,
R´s control of the Dardanelles Straits ( when needed!)
 If either power was at war, the one should stay neutralunless France or either Austria-Hungary were the
object of attack.
 Bismarck was playing with two cards
 International tension was increasing: Mediterranean
agreements, French revenge, Russia/Austria-Hungary
and the Balkans..
The Mediterranean
Agreementss, 1887
 Bismarck encouraged Britain to make an agreement
with Italy and Austria-Hungary to defend the status
quo in both the Mediterranean and the Far East
 Britain to check Russia in Bulgaria and at the Straits, if
necessary, Austrian troops and British warships with
Italian backing would come to help..
 Again Bismarck was playing with two cards..
Bismarck´s foreign policy 187190: Success or Failure?
 ” His concern was the security of the German Empire;
his achievement was the domination of Europe”
Discuss this view of B. foreign policy.
 To what extent is it fair to say that B. foreign policy,
1871-90 was a success?
The Road to the First World
War
1) CAUSES
•
Long-term causes
- Alliance system
- Economic and Imperial rivalry
- the Arms race
- Battle plans
- public opinion
- Balkan nationalism
 Short-term causes
- crises between 1905-13 ( Balkan nationalism,
colonial rivalry in Africa)
- battle plans
- public opinion
- the Assassination of Franz Ferdinand
( paving the way for the Blank Cheque)
The Alliance system and German
foreign policy after Bismarck
 B. was replaced by Caprivi in 1890; the Reinsurance
Treaty with Russia was not renewed
 ” a New Course” - Rejecting the Bismarckian system
 G.´s international position was weakened, lacked a
clear sense of direction
 The Schlieffen Plan was worked out in the 1890´s: a
military strategy to combat the Franco-Russian
combination: to avoid a two-front war simultaneously
- first to take over France and then German forces
would move to the eastern front to fight against the
Russians
 Hopes for an alliance with Britain: Germany failed to
secure it
- G. made concessions to Britain in Africa
- Britain´s rivalry with France and Russia
-- a huge disappointment!
• Germany, the troublemaker!
- an agreement with Russia?
-” The Kruger Telegram”, supported the
independence of Transvaal ( against Britain)
The Introduction of Welt
Politik, 1890´s
 ”World Policy”
- emphasis on expansion, overseas expansion and
the creation of a big navy
- Bulow / Foreign ministry
- Admiral von Tirpiz/ the head of the navy office
* to become a World Power!
World policy / Welt Politik
 German´s unstable and old-fashioned political system
dominated by Kaiser
 Response to socialism and democracy
 Imperialism was to substitute for unwanted social
change ( industrialisation; the growth of middle class
and the industrial classes)
 Results; Kiaochow, Shantung from China, some
islands in the Pacific
 Entente Cordiale / France+ Britain was a setback
Long-term/ short- term causes
for WWI
 Explain the causes with your pair
 Interpretations
* F. Fisher ( Blank-Cheque by Germany)
* G. Lowes Dickinson ( alliances)
* Marxist historians; Lenin ( imperialism,
economic rivalry)
* F. Fellner ( Imperial frictions increased tension,
Austria-Slavs, Britain-colonies)
* A.J.P. Taylor ( Germany-Russia)
 N. Ferguson ( The Arms Race, in 1914 Britain still in the
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lead– 29 Dreadnoughts ( BR) 17 ( Ger.)Britain was to be
blamed !, G. was not strong enough, wanted a war to be a
world power!)
Churchill ( Battle Plans; British navy had plans for a swift
intervention in the German attack on Belgium and France)
R. Brooke ( public opinion; a view of war as a liberating
experience)
James Joll ( alliances, Balkan question, the crises of 190513)
Kennan ( Franco-Russian alliance, mobilisation of Russia