The First World War
Deep rooted reasons
– Dual Treaty with Austria
– Triple alliance with Italy and Austria for defense
against France.
– William II as emperor
– France in alliance with Russia because of German
threat
– German expansion “Weltpolitik
• Caused commercial rivalry with England
– German Navy grew
– England in the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa
The First World War
Reasons continued
Anti-Germany/England propaganda
Increase in German trade
Edward VII Anglo-French entity, settled the
colonial differences
– Spanish-French treaty over Morocco
– German or Anti-German (Algeciras Conference)
British Dreadnought
Russia and England’s dividing of Persia
– Relieved Russia of perils in Far East and now could
focus on Europe.
The First World War
Naval expansion by all of Europe
Edward VII succeeded by George V and France in
Morocco. Violation of Treaty of Algerciras and Germany
sent a gunboat
– France got Morocco and Germany got the Congo
– Italy not happy, declared war on Turkey and invaded
Tripoli
Russia, a member of the Triple Entity, wanted to be the
European power by liquidating Turkey, morally weakening
Austria and then Germany.
1908 Ferdinand (Serbia) proclaimed them as an
independent kingdom and Austria annexed Bosnia and
Herzegovina
The First World War
Russia politically pitted the Balkan states against
the Austro-Hungarian empire
The Balkan League
Italo-Turkish War ended in 1913 and a quarel
over the spoils broke out, 2nd Balkan War
Turkey reduced to Andrianople and
Constantinople and the area around them
Tension very high
June 28, 1914 Archduke and his wife are
assassinated in Serajevo