Everything on the GCSE History Causes of the First World War: Alliances, the Naval Race and Sarajevo poster is written out below, section by section. Use it to search the sheet, copy parts into your own notes, or check a fact quickly.
The alliance system, 1882-1907
Before 1914 the great powers had split into two rival groups:
- The Triple Alliance (1882): Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
- The Triple Entente: France and Russia (allied since 1894), joined by Britain through the Entente Cordiale (1904) and an agreement with Russia (1907).
Entente - a friendly understanding rather than a firm promise to fight, but the effect was the same: a quarrel between any two of these countries could now pull in all the rest.
Why it mattered: this meant a local dispute could not stay local. Once one power mobilised, its allies were dragged in.
Weltpolitik and the naval race, 1898-1906
- Kaiser Wilhelm II wanted Germany to be a world power to rival Britain, a policy called Weltpolitik ("world policy").
- From 1898 Germany began building a large battle fleet, and Britain, an island that depended on its navy for survival, took it as a direct threat.
- In 1906 Britain launched HMS Dreadnought, an advanced battleship that outdated all earlier ones, so both sides effectively started from zero and raced to out-build each other.
Why it mattered: it soured relations between Britain and Germany and pushed Britain firmly toward France and Russia.
The Moroccan crises, 1905 and 1911
Twice Germany tried to break up the new friendship between Britain and France by challenging French control of Morocco.
- In 1905 the Kaiser visited Tangier and backed Moroccan independence. The dispute was settled at the Algeciras Conference (1906), where Germany was left isolated and Britain stood by France.
- In 1911 Germany sent the gunboat Panther to Agadir to frighten France, but had to back down again.
Both crises were intended to split the Entente and did the opposite.
Why it mattered: Germany was forced to back down both times, which drew Britain and France closer together, and left Germany surrounded by hostile powers.
The Balkans: Europe's powder keg, 1908
- The Balkans grew dangerous as the old Ottoman (Turkish) Empire lost its grip on the region.
- Serbia wanted to unite the local Slav peoples into a "Greater Serbia", which threatened neighbouring Austria-Hungary (itself a patchwork of nationalities).
- Tension flared in the Bosnian Crisis (1908), when Austria-Hungary annexed (formally took over) Bosnia, angering Serbia and its powerful backer Russia.
- Russia gave way this time, but was determined not to be humiliated again.
Why it mattered: it pushed Austria-Hungary and Serbia towards war, with Russia ready to defend Serbia, so any fight between them could pull the alliances in and spread across Europe.
Sarajevo and the July Crisis, 1914
- 28 June 1914: Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, in Sarajevo. Backed by unconditional support from Germany (the "blank cheque"), Austria-Hungary sent Serbia a harsh ultimatum (final demands).
- Serbia did not fully accept, and Austria declared war on 28 July.
- The alliances then pulled everyone in: Russia mobilised, and Germany declared war on Russia and France.
- Germany also launched the Schlieffen Plan, attacking France through neutral Belgium, bringing Britain in on 4 August 1914.
Why it mattered: this was the spark that turned decades of built-up tension into a continental war.