Origins of the First World War
Origins of the First World War Lecture notes
3. Who Was Responsible for the Outbreak of War in 1914?
3.1 Events -1914 Jan: British-German relations improve
Observation: partly due to reduced threat from Germany after its decision to scale down the naval build-up. Did Britain anticipate the implications of Germany’s expansion of the army, evidently aiming for dominance on the Continent, something Britain had consistently worked against? Did Britain not expect Germany to turn against it after achieving dominance on the Continent? -Germany military cooperation with Turkey
-assistance to reorganize the Turkish military by German military adviser LIman von Sanders -assistance downgraded in the face of Russian protests
Observation: Germany backed off to prevent Russia mobilizing for war, which would have neutralized the Schlieffen Plan -Russia begins the Great Military Programme
-announced in 1912, started in Jan 1914 and to be completed in 1917 -an aim was to reduce mobilization time to 18 days
Observation: by 1917, Germany’s strategic position vis-à-vis Russia would be weaker -Germany alarmed
-1914 Feb: Kaiser Wilhelm, “Russo-Prussian (i.e. German) relations are dead once and for all. We have become enemies” -Entente powers make headway in the Balkans -French well established in Belgrade (Serbia), made a loan to Greece -Tsar’s visit to Rumania was successful -but Central Powers in disarray -Germany opposed Austria’s plans to invade Serbia
-1914 Mar: Kaiser dismissed Austrian talk of using force as “crazy”
-1914 May: Plan XVII became operational
-main objective: recovery of Alsace-Lorraine, taken by Germany in 1871
-revanchism (revenge) claimed to be a low priority
Observation: is that plausible? Loss of Alsace-Lorraine was a blow to French national prestige. And is it true that France merely wanted to also be ready if war started, but not to start a war?
-1914 Jun: Austria issued the Matscheko Memorandum -war not
3. Who Was Responsible for the Outbreak of War in 1914?
3.1 Events -1914 Jan: British-German relations improve
Observation: partly due to reduced threat from Germany after its decision to scale down the naval build-up. Did Britain anticipate the implications of Germany’s expansion of the army, evidently aiming for dominance on the Continent, something Britain had consistently worked against? Did Britain not expect Germany to turn against it after achieving dominance on the Continent? -Germany military cooperation with Turkey
-assistance to reorganize the Turkish military by German military adviser LIman von Sanders -assistance downgraded in the face of Russian protests
Observation: Germany backed off to prevent Russia mobilizing for war, which would have neutralized the Schlieffen Plan -Russia begins the Great Military Programme
-announced in 1912, started in Jan 1914 and to be completed in 1917 -an aim was to reduce mobilization time to 18 days
Observation: by 1917, Germany’s strategic position vis-à-vis Russia would be weaker -Germany alarmed
-1914 Feb: Kaiser Wilhelm, “Russo-Prussian (i.e. German) relations are dead once and for all. We have become enemies” -Entente powers make headway in the Balkans -French well established in Belgrade (Serbia), made a loan to Greece -Tsar’s visit to Rumania was successful -but Central Powers in disarray -Germany opposed Austria’s plans to invade Serbia
-1914 Mar: Kaiser dismissed Austrian talk of using force as “crazy”
-1914 May: Plan XVII became operational
-main objective: recovery of Alsace-Lorraine, taken by Germany in 1871
-revanchism (revenge) claimed to be a low priority
Observation: is that plausible? Loss of Alsace-Lorraine was a blow to French national prestige. And is it true that France merely wanted to also be ready if war started, but not to start a war?
-1914 Jun: Austria issued the Matscheko Memorandum -war not