Summary IB History HL Causes and effects of 20th-century wars : World War 1
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Incredibly thorough and well-structured notes on the Causes, Course, and Effect of WW1 I created in order to obtain a high 7 grade in the IB Diploma. Completely comprehensive and accurate with a great amount of historiography!
1.Imperialism 1880-1914
★ Colonial Rivalries caused tensions
★ Scramble for Africa
○ Colonies originally sought out for resources; this linked to the growing industrialization
taking place in the West.
○ Colonies provided a cheap labour force, cheap raw materials and new markets.
○ There was also the belief that the spread of Western civilization was ‘God’s work’
★ Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905
○ Russo-Japanese rivalry over Korea reached a head in 1905, resulting in the humiliating
loss of Russia’s entire Baltic and Pacific fleet.
○ It marked the end of Russian ambitions in the Far East, as their interest shifted to
Europe, specifically the Balkans
○ This led to intense rivalry and tension between them and Austria-Hungary
★ Moroccan Crises 1905-1911
○ Tangier; Kaiser Wilhelm delivers a speech that implies the Sultanate of Morocco as an
independent monarch, calling into question the recent Anglo-French agreement over
colonial status.
○ Algeciras Conference 1906; Germany was forced to accept the confirmation of French
dominance in the Sultanate. This antagonized the French and British for Germany, and
humiliated the nation on a global stage
○ Agadir 1911; Following a revolt in Morocco, the Sultan requested French troops to
suppress the uprising. This led Germany to believe this was an absolute take over, and
they sent the Gunboat SS Panther to Agadir. This once again brought into question
French colonial power, and the UK supported it’s ally
○ The overarching result was that the Anglo-French alliance was strengthened, while
Germany was isolated and humiliated. This bred great tension.
★ Rise of Kaiser Wilhelm
○ Bismarck avoided all colonial discussion as he did not want to pull Germany into a
European war
○ However, Kaiser Wilhelm didn’t listen and wanted a ‘place in the sun’. He established
‘Weltpolitik’, which was incredibly aggressive.
○ 1896 Kruger Telegram; Kaiser Wilhelm sent a letter to Paul Kruger in 1896 praising their
defeat of the British in the Jameson Raid, depreciating relations between Germany and
Britain, and eliminating the chance of Britain joining the Triple Alliance
, ★ “To remain a great power or to become one seemed to require the possession of an empire”- McDonough
★ “Craving of great powers at the expense of weaker states created an environment of mutual hostility”-
McDonough
2.Militarism
★ Anglo-German Naval Race
○ The construction of the HMS Dreadnought (December 1906) set the race back to zero
○ If any nation wanted a modern navy that was relevant in the new age as such, they would
need to spend money on Dreadnoughts.
○ In the 2nd Naval Law of 1900, keeping in sync with the Weltpolitik aims, Germany
aimed to rival the Royal Navy
○ Both navies increased 197% between 1900 and 1914, engendering suspicion and fear
○ This was coupled with increasing industrialization, neo-mercantilism.
○ Germany was now considered hostile, and an enemy
★ German Military Spending
○ German increased 340%; Britain by 175%; Russia by 260%; Italy by 185%
○ War plans were devised such as Schlieffen Plan, Plan 17, Plan K and B etc..
○ Engendered even more suspicion, the notion of deterrence is a dangerous one as
tensions grew greater they were pushed towards war.
3.Rise of Germany as a European power
★ The New Cause and Weltpolitik
○ Wilhelm ascends in 1888, and Bismarck was replaced by Von Capri in 1890
○ The Reinsurance treaty lapsed, and as a result a Franco-Russian alliance emerged
■ Germany felt threatened as now they were at risk of a 2 front war
○ Bellicose foreign policy emerges known as Weltpolitik, because Kaiser Wilhelm wanted
a ‘place in the sun’
■ Make Germany a colonial power; an overseas empire (i.e Africa); overseas navy
that rivalled the Royal Navy; direct away from problems at home
★ Bismarck’s Web of alliances
○ Forged German empire from “blood and iron” (1871)
○ He created an intricate web of alliances to shield Germany from war using a policy of
deterrence
○ Dual Alliance 1897- Germany and Austro-Hungary
■ This formed within 3 years, and Italy joined in 1882
○ In this, Germany isolated France. However, as Germany refused to send loans to Russia,
and in 1890 the Reinsurance treaty was renewed between France and Russia in 1894.
■ This was a large failure on the German’s part
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