The origins of the first world war

‘They stand, a hundred thousand strong,
Quick to avenge their country's wrong;
With filial love their bosoms swell,
They'll guard the sacred landmark well!
Chorus: Dear Fatherland, no danger thine;
Firm stand thy sons to watch the Rhine!’

The poem clearly suggesting aggressive words and phrases with a nation not yet united in Germany or the ‘Fatherland’ but they still feel a strong German brother-hood.

Now that all classes of society were under one law and rule, this caused a rapid economic growth within the state that was to lead to an industrial race of might. Industrialization progressed dynamically in Germany and German manufacturers began to capture markets from British imports, and also to compete with British industry abroad, particularly in the United States. Germany became the dominant economic power on the continent and was the second largest exporting nation after the US. This now started to landslide the balance of power within Europe now that the Superpower of the world was now been drawn into a rivalry with a new nation and was now under huge competition. When two rival economies begin to grow to try and out-class each other, they can be compared to a limited resource. The economy will eventually reach a plateau and unable to grow further yet as a result of this, the two powers will seek a new way of showing growth resulting in military competition which will lead to a clash of arms. Population of Germany leapt from 41 million in 1870 to over 66 million in 1914, there was huge dramatic economic expansion, which was looked on by other nations as a threat to stability. France’s population was static at 39 million and her economic growth was slow and recessive. 

As Prussia was the dominant state within Germany due to the politics it demonstrated the reason of concern that other foreign nations to judge the new Germany on, it was Prussia who attacked France and had ambitious ideas of growth so Germany will be seen by foreign powers as an untrustworthy threat to control of power. Problems with diplomacy could be its autocratic rule over its people, France and Britain was democratic while Germany made its main priority to constrict socialist revolutions and to promote monarchy.4 So due to this political indifference it was to give a longstanding rivalry over the democratic and autocratic nations. Bismarck knew this unbalance of power in Europe and needed to restore relations in order to survive as a nation.

France had an unhidable grudge with Germany over Alsace and Lorraine so he knew he would have to keep them weak in order to divert any attack on Germany, to do this he would need to isolate France. Bismarck’s strategy to isolate France was by encouraging France to have interests in Africa and Asia that would invite conflict with Great Britain. In 1872 Bismarck negotiated the league of the three emperors. As Germany had the same political views as autocratic Russia and Austria-Hungary it used this to their advantage to isolate France further by agreeing with the two autocratic nations to avoid trade with France, which lead to further threats of peace.

This unmissable mistrust in Europe soon lead to build up of armies, which further threatened stability. The excuse of ensuring peace was to create an army forceful enough to defend the homeland. Apart from Britain, all nations increased the power of their armies. Germany, in 1900 had an army 500,000 in strength and France of 700,000 yet by 1914 both armies had expanded to 900,000. However Britain, had shown decreased numbers between the years, which could mean Britain was either trying to keep peace or give way to a larger navy. Britain was the only power that had not introduced conscription before 1914. The expenditure in the forces was phenomenal as Britain in 1908 spent $295 million a year and France $220 million that increased to $375 for Britain and $410 million for France by 1913.

Britain secured a great empire that stretched a quarter of the globe, including Canada, India, Egypt and Australia. As an island nation and the empire been thousands of miles away from home shores; Britain would need a powerful navy to protect the vital trade. In 1906, Britain launched the first dreadnought, a ship to make all other battleships obsolete over night. HMS Dreadnought boasts ten 12 inch guns and a top speed 21.6 knots.4 Wilhelm, encouraged by naval minister Tirpitz, embarked upon a massive shipbuilding exercise intended to produce a naval fleet the equal of Britain's, unarguably by far and away the world's largest. In 1907, Britain obtained 4 battleships and Germany had none but a little under a year, Britain had 6 and Germany had 4 battleships. By the beginning of the war, Britain had 38 dreadnoughts and battle Cruisers while Germany had 24 dreadnoughts and battle cruisers in their fleet. Despite the loss in the naval race, Germany's ambitions resulted in pulling Britain into the European tensions and, it has been argued, brought war that much closer by Historians. The naval race could never start or ultimately lead to war yet what it did was set a two opposing sides that had similar ambitions though there could only be ever one world superpower, so a clash was due.

 Bismarck in 1879 had made the fateful decision to make a defensive alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary in order to contain French isolation and to force Austria-Hungary Corporation that would keep the status Que in Eastern Europe. Bismarck knew that the French would exploit any opportunity to regain Alsace and Lorraine so the isolation tactic was highly credited. So then in 1881 another ‘Three emperors’ meeting took place in order to negotiate a stable eastern Europe that would involve a peace between the three nations if a fourth power came into conflict. Then in 1882 Bismarck drew in Italy into a triple alliance to help further a peaceful relationship and to strengthen the monarchical principle. This new alliance among nations of Europe sparked huge criticism from France and Russia as the French felt ganged up on by German power and Russia saw a tactical treaty to threaten Russian homeland causing further tensions to rise of mistrust, which could seek a defensive alliance to counter this threat. The Triple Alliance was essentially meaningless for Italy, whom negotiated a secret treaty with France that agreed to Italy remaining neutral should Germany attack France.

After a serious nationalist uprising in Egypt, that endangered trade in the Suez Canal with Britain, caused them to ask for French help to restore order but without French reply the British government ordered its troops in. Bismarck took advantage of this and persuaded the French to ask for compensation that would involve an imperial rivalry to increase so that Britain would try and keep the French isolated. Bismarck also saw the imperial ideas of a great advantage and so ventured German claim to areas of Africa on the borders to British interest that would stir up trouble among the European nations, on behalf of German interest the areas of Togo land, South west Africa, Cameroon’s and East Africa were under German occupation. This policy was very popular and the population of Germany veered an increased imperialist mind. Yet imperial ideas were not Bismarck’s priority as the self control and strength of Germany was main cause of concern as he claimed ‘My map of Africa lies in Europe’, yet his aggressive diplomacy forced Germany to be seen as jealous of foreign gains; further increasing tensions.

Further agreements of settling rivalries pursued as Italy and Britain in 1887 agreed to maintain the status quo in the Mediterranean. This showed Britain still wanted to be the isolated country of not choosing sides of opposition but to pursue her own interests in naval and imperial needs, so Britain was seen as the peaceful unenclosed nation to European rivalries. In the same year the triple alliance was renewed as Italy and Austria-Hungary agreed a truce of disagreements with northern Italian areas giving more reason to concern for France as it was showing the partnership of powerful allies that could together attack another nation. December 1887, there was a second Mediterranean agreement as Austria-Hungary agreed also with Britain and Italy to maintain the status quo of peace and to settle any misunderstandings of authority with the declining power of Turkey. Germany and Russia made a new agreement that if any other nation came into conflict then they would both stay neutral in the event called the reinsurance treaty.

The year after the Reinsurance Treaty Russia allied itself with France. Both nations agreed to consult with the other should either find itself at war with any other nation, or if the stability of Europe was threatened. This unorganised agreement was solidified in 1892 with the Franco-Russian Military Convention, aimed specifically as a counter move to the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy.

Bismarck’s departion from office was of hypothetical concern as he was the person with the diplomatic skill to isolate France and to keep an uneven peace within Europe. Although France was still isolated, it managed to make a small agreement with the Russians in 1888, that a Russian loan would be invested into the French economy and a year later the Russians made a large order for French rifles. So it was suggested that after Bismarck had removed himself from office that Europe was now in total landslide to chaos, although it also could be said that as a result of his drastic decisions it lead to having long term problems that would lead to long term repercussions later on in time. After the Franco-Prussian war and loss of territory, it set long term hatred between Germany and France yet it wasn’t the end of the situation as Bismarck’s crude diplomacy and tactics made France weak and venerable making French and German relations grow bitter. No highly skillful diplomatic agreement or treaty could now damp down the French’s bitter resentment for the new German empire.

Bismarck sought the Austrian-Hungary treaty to also help keep the peace in the east with Russia and Austrian-Hungary. Although this treaty could also drag Germany into eastern problems so this although was a short term solution, it would become a long term inflexibility and would raise further tensions. Bismarck’s African ventures also had long term problems with Great Britain. Britain was seen as the jealous crime that would not yield to change by denying Germany to any claim. These unfortunate long term problems could become worse if an unskilled new diplomat would take control after Bismarck had left office in 1890, as a result of disagreements with the change of a different Kaiser.   

Kaiser Wilhelm's successor, Wilhelm II, proved far more ambitious in creating "a place in the sun" for Germany. With the dismissal of Bismarck, the new Kaiser was determined to establish Germany as a great colonial power and to challenge Britain. Now that Germany was seen as the ultimate threat to Britain it would need to find new allies to get support as war may come. Britain signed the ‘Entente Cordiale’ with France. This 1904 agreement finally resolved many colonial issues. More significantly, although it did not commit to the others military aid in time of war, but it did offer closer diplomatic co-operation. Only an international crisis would determine if the Kaiser had the personality to go to war with the nations of Europe.

1905 became the first real chance for the alliances of Europe to go to war yet this crisis was not over tensions or past rivalries but other land in Africa. Morocco a small country in Africa could have been a result of a long standing rivalry between the two alliances. On the April the 4th 1904 Britain, France and Spain agreed that Morocco should be totally French concern as the French northwest Africa bordered the area and to improve relations with Britain and France it was agreed. Morocco had strategic significance, as it was one side of the opening to the Mediterranean that was the main source of trade for Great Britain that held the neighboring area of Gibraltar in Spain. Britain was concerned that a rival power could take this area and threaten British trade so would be satisfied if France could take control of the area as they were on friendly terms in an alliance. This was met by total hostility as Germany were not informed with this decision as German had no claim to the area but felt they did. Purely to increase tensions and to show hostility, Kaiser Wilhelm made a state visit to Tangier, Morocco on March 31st 1905. He made an ‘open speech’ saying that he supported Moroccan independence that disagreed with the French treaty and was to test the Entente Cordial’s strength. A meeting was setup to sort the matter but French and British defiance came to no agreement so as the crisis peaked the French cancelled all military leave and the German minister threatened a defensive alliance with the Sultan of Morocco. On the 1st of July the French agreed to a conference with strong British backing resulting in diplomatic isolation for Germany. The problem grew as German reserves were called up and the French moved troops to the border. The Germans decided to accept the terms on the 31st May 1906, as they felt unwilling to do other as they were forced on by the French and British. Although the Algeria’s Conference temporarily solved the First Moroccan Crisis, continuing German dissatisfaction with the Moroccan situation led to a long term rivalry on imperialist matters between the powers of Europe.

Three years later, in 1907, Russia formed what became known as the Triple Entente, by signing an agreement with Britain, the Anglo-Russian Entente. Although the two agreements were not militarily binding in any way, they did place an obligation upon the treaty to aid each other in time of war, which could be seen as a partial friendship. In 1912, Britain and France did however conclude a military agreement, the Anglo-French Naval Convention, which Britain would protect France's coastline from German attack, and the French would defend of the Suez Canal. There were other, smaller alliances, such as Russia's pledge to protect Serbia, and Britain's agreement to defend Belgian neutrality and each agreement helped each nation into the coming Great War.

Now there were two great empire blocks of alliances in Europe in 1907, the triple alliance of Germany, the Hapsburg Empire and Italy; all central positioned in Europe. The new formed Triple Entente consisted of France, Great Britain and Russia, which negatively surrounded the triple alliance like an ‘Iron Curtain’ locking the new expanding powers in, which could lead to a war on two fronts. This could be used as a reason of concern for the triple alliance or more focused, on Germany. Germany would see this as a blockade of expansion and a form of ‘ganging up’ on Germany by the old empires in defiance of change. This unfortunately would lead Germany to make a strategy of defence against the alliances, which now should a clear path to war.

December 1905, General Alfred Von Schlieffen was forced to devise an offensive strategy to defeat the Triple alliance. The attacks was based on attacking and defeating France within less than six weeks with 90% of the main force then transport all troops to the eastern front to then defeat Russia, whom would take longer to mobilise her forces. This aggressive tactic would also invade Belgium, which could involve Britain although Germany hoped they would not treat the ‘Treaty of London’ serious. Until 1906 when it was modified it would also invade the Kaiser’s home country Holland. This primitive far-fetched plan had many weaknesses in it as they would rest on fate that Britain would not attack and that Russia would take many weeks to mobilise. Tensions were now set and concreted with hate and any challenge to peace would be very difficult to decline as the Kaiser was set minded that he would never be allowed to be bullied by the power of the rival alliance.

The first Moroccan crisis of 1905 showed the world that there was a line of separation between powers of Europe yet in 1911 there would be another crisis in Morocco, which would have larger repercussions in Europe. The Sultan of Morocco was under critical pressure as his people were in civil unrest. The French neighbouring the country gave there services to help put down the riots so they sent armed forces in, occupying the city of Fez; which was contrary of terms of the agreement made at the Algeria’s conference. The Kaiser made a drastic move to send a gunboat. The Panther, to the shores of Morocco and told the French to fear a bombardment unless they exited. Prime Minister of Britain, Lloyd George announced ‘German aggression can’t be allowed’, now all peace treaties in the past were void and there was a clear road of war. Britain fearing an attack on Gibraltar backed the French and responded with a threat of direct attack on the ship. The Germans fearing a strong relationship pf allies now, backed down under the agreement that Germany could claim the Belgium Congo in Africa, which was swamp and disease ridden. The Kaiser feeling a fool spoke that he would never again let his nation back down to a rival threat.

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