Summary The Origins of WW1 according to Christopher Clark
14 views 0 purchase
Course
European History
Institution
European History
HY116 Notes
The outbreak of the WW1 – BEST READING
Great power rivalry and the World War
At the end of the century, Europe dominated the globe.
Stability at home required the impulses of 'new imperialism.'
1880s and 1890s - the scramble for Africa, competition to extend empire in Persia, S...
summary the origins of ww1 according to christopher clark
hy116 notes the outbreak of the ww1 – best reading great power rivalry and the world war at the end of the century
europe dominated the globe
Written for
European History
All documents for this subject (79)
Seller
Follow
bmm7203
Reviews received
Content preview
lOMoARcPSD|6415266
SUMMARY THE ORIGINS OF WWI
Lecture Notes - Revision notes for Vietnam, decolonisation
and the outbreak Of WW1
International History since 1890 (The London School of Economics and Political
Science)
StuDocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university
Downloaded by Ingo Info (info@ingo.de)
, lOMoARcPSD|6415266
HY116 Notes
The outbreak of the WW1 – BEST READING
Great power rivalry and the World War
At the end of the century, Europe dominated the globe.
Stability at home required the impulses of 'new imperialism.'
1880s and 1890s - the scramble for Africa, competition to extend empire in Persia, South East Asia and the Pacific.
Europe lost its capacity to contain inter state violence, unprecedented capacity to wage total war
Great power status: Britain, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia.
Greatest capacity for war. The hard currency of power counted: size of population, territory, finance and industrial output.
Formal recognition of Great Power status was not only from statistical reckoning but also from inclusion in the inner circle of diplomacy - especially the
drafting of peace treaties and territorial adjustments.
Diplomatic etiquette reflected the pecking order.
1904-5 great powers, other than britain, undermined Japanese potential and power. Post 1905 europeans perception of japanese power is what changed
not actual japenese power.
All forms of power must be weighed in relation to potential challenges.
According to the fortituous theory of the balance of power, the wars of 1914-1945 can be explained as two failed bids by germany to impose its mastery
over europe.
The system (established at the congress of vienna 1815) lasted because it satisfied the interests and identity of only the states with the potential capacity to
upset it - the Great Powers. Crucially states did not view their security in the elimination of another great power or the end of the balance of power. By
breaching the Public Law in Europe, it could provoke a self-defeating backlash. The relative peace and stability was not only because of mutual deterrance,
but also that of adherrance. The common idetntity and shared cultural conception of European civilisation - hedley bull's international society.
Downloaded by Ingo Info (info@ingo.de)
, lOMoARcPSD|6415266
Concert diplomacy became a habit of mind after 1815. pursuit of national interests and short term gains without deliberately jeapordising long - range
stability.
The long term causes of the first world war
1. Great Power alliances and alignments
2. The arms race
3. Schlieffen plan
Modernisation explains the intensity, scale and cost of the fighting but not why war broke out in the first place.
Some argue causes of great wars are because of:
Economic and imperial rivalry
Inevitable shifts in the distribution of international politics
Miscalculation/misperception/accident
Lust for conquest
Two sets of causes always examined:
1. Long term causes/conditions that made war probable
2. Immediate causes and decisions which triggered a particular war at a particular moment
Important condition number 1: the system of Great Power alliances and alignments
Overly rigid alliances prevented the proper functioning of the balance of power. Thus what might have been an isolated crisis in the Balkans became a
general war.
1900 onwards europe increasingly split into two coalitions: Germany and Austria-Hungary (the central powers) were bound by the Dual Alliance 1879
(conditions to support each other if russia attacked). Italy then joined in 1882 to make it the Triple Alliance. Vs France and Russia 1891-1894 to counter this
alliance.
HOWEVER…easy to exaggerate. These alliances did remain flexible, could still keep order and keep checks and balances.
Britain the least committed.
Italy neutral until 1914 and went to war on the side of the Entente powers in 1915
Until 1912-1912 berlin withheld support for Austria in the Balkans and advised caution
the alliance system transformed from what the makers intended.
Downloaded by Ingo Info (info@ingo.de)
, lOMoARcPSD|6415266
Bismarck's dual alliance 1879 was intended to stabilise European status quo. Reinsurance Treaty with Russia of 1887 was in order to prevent hostile Franco-
Russian combination emerging. Italy also drawn in to prevent such.
Turning point. 1904-5. Britain settled overseas quarrels with France and Russia by concluding ententes, while Germany became increasingly isolated.
As the great powers increasingly looked to violent solutions to problems, allies became more important.
1905 - Britain offered support for domination of Morocco. Twice. 1905 and 1911 (agadir crisis). German efforts to frustrate french ambitions and dive the
british from the french. This pulled the entente tighter.
… equally if not more important was the retreat of the Ottoman Empire 1908 onwards. Russia saw this as an opportunity to assert traditional role as
protector of the Balkan Slavs to secure more influence on constantinople and Black sea Straits --> Austria-Hungary feared that this decline and Serb
expansion would be the dissolution of its multinational emprie --> Austria-Hungarys problem thus became a German problem due to not wanting to lose a
principle ally. Whilst an alliance for russia meant France's chance at regaining Alsace-lorraine thus had little choice but to close-ranks with russia.
The transformation of the alliances after 1905 is also connected to another important condition leading to war - 2. the arms race.
The rise of the military industrial complex and stirring up of popular agitation for more warships.
Tirpitz plan to build a 'risk fleet' for germany. By threatening london with this, it meant that germany could gain more leverage in compelling britain into an
alliance/favourable deals for overseas issues. German Naval Laws of 1898 and 1900 authorised ship building at a rate over 20 years would reach the
required 2:3 ratio.
This thinking flawed. It assumed ceterus parabus on the case of Britain.
The british out-spent and out-built the germans.
1905-6 britain. 1908 Germany. 1909 Britain. (see timeline)
Not a direct cause for war, but the naval arms race along with the moroccan crises, helped turn british political opinion against germany and led britain to
consider to assist france in the event of war.
Developing arms race between Franco-Russian and German-Austrian blocs much more significant.
More political than technological
Downloaded by Ingo Info (info@ingo.de)
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller bmm7203. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $10.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
