Part of The Student Room Group

  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

To what extent was the alliance system responsible for the outbreak of World War One in 1914?

Extracts from this document...

Introduction

To what extent was the alliance system responsible for the outbreak of World War One in 1914? In the events after the end of WW1 much of the blame for the outbreak of the war fell on Germany and their aggression. However with hindsight we see that things were a lot more complex. The idea that many historians except nowadays that the alliance systems caused WW1, but none of them can agree to what extent they caused the war. Before the war began countries started to make bonds and promises between each other, this triggered a lot of factors that sparked the war. In 1914, when the First World War broke out, Europe was divided into two military alliance systems: the Triple Alliance including Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy, and the Triple Entente that included Britain, France and Russia. The intent of the alliance system was primarily to provide mutual defence in order to maintain the power balance in Europe, but the nations eventually came to rely on it for aggressive purposes. ...read more.

Middle

Even though the Triple Alliance broke, and the Triple Entente just settled colonial disputes, especially the Dual alliance as well as the Franco-Russian alliance played a major role for the outbreak of the First World War. Thus, the Alliance System was very much responsible for the First World War. The Dual Alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary was formed in 1978. The agreement states, that if either of the countries is attacked by Russia, the other will come to its aid with all forces, and if attacked by another country, it will at least stay neutral. This is very significant for the outbreak of the First World War as Austria-Hungary sought Germany's agreement for its declaration of war on Serbia, and further Germanys support in case Russia would attack Austria-Hungary as result of the war with Serbia. Germany promised its support to Austria-Hungary (known as the 'blank cheque') and as a result of Austria-Hungary's declaration of war on Serbia and Russia mobilized. ...read more.

Conclusion

Since Germany did not want to risk a two-front war, it immediately implemented the Schlieffen Plan and declared war on both, Russia and France. Furthermore the Schlieffen Plan violated Belgium's neutrality, as France was to be taken over through Belgium. Therefore Britain got involved, as it had guaranteed the sanctity of Belgium's borders. In conclusion, even though some alliances were weak and ineffective like the Triple Entente, others like the Dual Alliances were more effective. Furthermore the alliances certainly gave Austria-Hungary and Germany, as well as Russia, confidence to threaten and finally go to war. The Alliance System also created military plans like the German Schlieffen Plan, which was developed after the Franco-Russian alliance was signed. The Alliance System was certainly not the only cause of the First World War; there were many others, which altogether led to the outbreak. However, when one sums up all the events, which were due to the Alliance System, I can conclude that the Alliance System was one of the major causes of the First World War. ?? ?? ?? ?? Robert Foard 12H History ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our International Baccalaureate History section.

Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

or


Here's what a teacher thought of this essay


There are some good points in this answer but overall it lacks depth and range of factors. It is always important in History to offer a balanced analysis - to consider all possible reasons for an event and then weigh up their relative importance before reaching a conclusion.

Marked by teacher Natalie Stanley 30/03/2013

Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related International Baccalaureate History essays

  1. Compare and contrast Mussolini's and Hitler's rise to power

    Kornhauser relates the Burning of the Reichstag and the communist arrests that followed, explaining that this event was used to discredit communism and was a clear indication of Nazi communist opposition. Both Fascist leaders used the fear of Communist revolution in the aristocracy to acquire power.

  2. To what extent can Napoleon be considered the "Son of the Revolution"?

    his own conclusions and due to events such as the September Massacres would not allow what he saw as chaos to rule France. His coronation, taking the crown from the Pope and placing it on his own head, was not only a message of how powerful he was but also

  1. Notes on Italian unification - background and main events

    failed for several reasons: o They weren't well organized o They were easily infiltrated by the authorities (spies, etc...) o They betrayed each other quite easily - Due to the numerous failures, Mazzini began to abandon the Carbonari The Revolution of 1820- 1821 - There was a revolution against the

  2. Why did the policy of Collective Security established by the League of Nations fail ...

    The following key reasons stand to show the reason for the failure of the LON and the strategy of Collective Security: the sanctions didn't work as the league had no army to gain authority, the nation who actually created the league never joined (USA)

  1. Notes on German unification - main events

    had to leave Berlin --> he only really left because he did want to use his artillery in Berlin and damage any buildings (the revolution was quite mild) - Austria is far more affected by the revolutions of 1848-9 than Prussia - The Frankfurt Parliament; o The Assembly or Diet

  2. Discuss the short and long term consequences of the Indian Mutiny 1857

    Muslims had to use grease from pigs which is against their religion to eat. This was very serious problems for the sepoys. They had to go against their religion or the leader of their regiment. To solve this problem the British let troops use whatever grease they would like.

  1. The Civil War was not inevitable; it was the result of extremism and failures ...

    However, they were blinded by the fact that eight years later, both Minnesota and Oregon were added as a free state because the North had a denser population than the South. While the North incorporated industrialization into its economy, the South embraced an agrarian plantation economy.

  2. To what extent did the reforms of Alexander II achieve his aims

    After the Emancipation Edict, further reforms were needed to fill the gaps in the social and administrative structure of Russia that were left by the emancipation of the serfs. These new reforms were also accelerated by the rising pressure to bring Russia closer to the modern, western world.

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work