What caused WWI, and Who's to blame?

What Caused World War  I, and Who Was to Blame?

A: Alliance System

Germany loosing all  allies.

Russia and France; two front war vs. Germany.

GB defending France.

A-H w/ Germany still 

EVERYONE-  wants to be all up in the Balkans

Serbia most powerful;other balkan nations want to be part of Serbia

B: Colonial Rivalry

Rivalry within Africa for "choice" of which colonies they would be ruling. 

Navies necessary in order to keep control of their colonies. 

Fights over boarders, land,etc

also colonies within the Balkans 

C: Naval Race

Germany says it needs a bigger army in order to protect themselves from GB incase. 

GB is an Island Nation, with many colonies across the ocean, they NEED their navy.

Russia would like to have access to the sea in order to have a Navy NOT bottled up in the BlackSea.

Dreadnought. 

D: Economic Rivalry

A-H limits the Serb's from getting pigs across

germany seeks to gain the upper hand

E: Russia Supported Serbia

Agreed to help them fight off AH, although they had originally declined. 

F: Germany Backing Austria at Crucial 

(?) 

G: Mobilization Plans

russia plans to mobilize troops when germany heads off to attack France. 

Britain will help defend france if need me, 

AH helps no one

Serbs fight eachother

and agains AH

H: A "Tragedy of Miscalculation"

Germany did not expect france to be ready or for them to miss Paris, and they also did not understand that russia would be ready and therefore germany got the two front attack

Churchill Criticizes the German Fleet

Questions:
1. Explain in your own words what Churchill sees as the difference between the significance of the German and the British fleets.
    - Answer:  Churchill basically thinks that the German navy is more of an unnecessary luxury, something that the country really didn't need to have but, could afford any way. Britain had many colonies in far away places that the navy helped keep in line ( also Britain is clearly a island nation). Germany, however had none of these things, their navy was not as necessary as Britain's. 


2. Look carefully at the language Churchill uses in describing the German fleet. What impression of the German fleet does his choice of language give?
     - Answer: When talking about the German fleet, Churchill commonly refers to Germany as a " great friendly empire", and remises about Germany being respected an honoured before " she had a single ship", therefore Churchill is using neutral terms, either glorifying Germany and her " luxurious" fleet, or speaking neutral as to not offend Germany. 


3. What does Churchill mean by "the ratio which our naval strength will have to bear to other great naval Powers"?
     -Answer: Churchill is saying that when other countries/empires increase their naval power, it is up to Great Britain to do the same, as they are the greatest naval power. It also means that Britain will have to continue to increase its naval power, and strength/influence. 


4. How exactly is Churchill threatening Germany in this speech?
    -Answer: Churchill is threatening Germany in this speech because he is warning them that if they continue to increase their ships, and their naval power that he will be forced to do the same, and although Britain has never used their naval powers as a aggressive thing before, ( it had always been used as a defensive measure ) they would use it for aggression if they needed to.


5. This speech was studied very carefully by the German government (as Churchill knew it would be). Which parts of it might give the German government grounds to complain to the British government? What do you think was the effect Churchill intended this speech to have in Germany?
   - Answer: I think that Churchill had intended for this to be a friendly warning to Germany, telling them that they would not use their giant navy to show aggression to Germany unless they were provoked, and by saying that they hoped that Germany would remain their friends, but Churchill reminds Germany that this is a naval race now, and that if need be Britain will always increase. I think that Germany could complain to the British government because it could be shown that Britain was threatening Germany with an arms race, and with naval aggression.

Bismarck & Europe 1871- 1878

1. What were Otto von Bismarck's aims in foreign policy following Germany's victory over France in 1871?
              A:  After the victory over France in 1871, Otto Von Bismark, Germany's leader was satisfied with Germany as the superior power in Europe,  in his eyes Germany had all the territory it needed, and all the power it was to have.  Now, Von Bismark's main goal in life was to ensure that Germany would stay safe and be able to maintain its control and power without an attack.  Von Bismark aimed to keep France and Russia away from each other to ensure that they would not become allies, and " sandwich " Germany to a defeat as well as keep their territory where it belonged, in their eyes to Germany. Also, the conflict within the Balkans concerned the Germans,  in theory the only thing that they could do as a nation was isolate completely their only threats. 
               Another form of combatant against the inevitable was to bring on change, to keep other change from happening. One way he succeeded in this was through planting the ideas of nationalism and imperialism in the minds of the population however, these were things that the people of Germany could not fully understand nor could he control which he unleashed into the population.


2. Why did events between the years 1875-78 in the Balkans lead to a crisis between the Great Powers?
             A:  During the years of 1875-78 in the Balkans there was much social unrest, which in turn created crisis and uneasy feelings from the Great Powers. The question of who would have control in the Balkan reason raised much unrest between the Great Powers of Europe, especially challenging Otto Von Bismark, to see what kind of government man he was. Another problem stemming from the Balkans that was concerning to the Great Powers of Europe  was the inability to reach an agreement in what was to be done in that region. Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary could not seem to reach an agreement about what should happen to this region of the former Ottoman Empire.