Anglo-Russian Agreement 1907

The THIRD stage of how the triple entente was formed...

The Anglo-Russian Agreement 1907

·        Russia and Britain had supported France at Algericas.

·        It was in the interest of France to improve the relationship between Russia and Britain.

·        France influenced Russia and Britain to become more friendlier with each other – and in 1907 the Anglo-Russian agreement was signed.

·        In this agreement, Britain and Russia also sorted out their foreign problems in Persia and Tibet.

·        This finished off the triple entente. - The set of three circles on the right

 

 

·        However, the Kaiser felt like he had been encircled.

·        Even though the triple entente had not been designed to surround Germany, and the alliances between Britain Russia and France were not military alliances, Germany felt they had been surrounded.

 

The last arrow should have the date 1894 on it - thats when Russia and France made their alliance after two years of negotiation!

 

The Moroccan Crisis 1905

What impact do you think this had on the alliances?? - which alliances became weaker as a result of this? Which alliances became stronger?

Remember: Weltpolitik is the Kaisers desire to become a major player in world affairs.

Moroccan Crisis 1905

Causes of this crisis:

·       Morocco is in North Africa and was NOT controlled by a European Power and France wanted it.

·       The Entente Cordiale meant that Britain wasn’t going oppose France in its attempt to gain Morocco

·       Germany had the the most powerful* army in the world and wanted WELTPOLITIK but didn’t have many colonies – they didn’t want France to get Morocco.


* Although Russia's army was much larger than the German army, the German army were more powerful and much better equipped than the Russians at this point in time. Thank you Mr Mohammed for pointing this out. :)

Events that took place:

·       In 1905 the Kaiser visited Tangier, a city in Morocco, riding on a white horse with a military band and Moroccan troops – trying to look ‘hard’.

·       He said Germany would support an independent Morocco, and he wanted an international conference to discuss this.

·       He wanted to try prevent France from getting Morocco and test how strong the Entente Cordiale was.

Results of this crisis:

·       A conference was held in Algericas in the south of Spain.

·       It was Germany, Morocco and Austria-Hungary vs Britain, Russia and France

·       Germany didn’t get what it wanted as Morocco was given to France and Spain.

·       Even worse, the Entente Cordiale was strengthened as Britain and France became worried about Germany.

·       No alliance between France and Britain was made but France was confident that Britain would now support it.

What impact do you think this had on the alliances?? - which alliances became weaker as a result of this? Which alliances became stronger?

Germany and Austria-Hungary became stronger, as Germany realised that Austria-Hungary had been the only country to support it at Algericas.
Britain and France became stronger as they both began to become very worried about Germany and this united them.
France then decided to use its influence to help relations between Russia and Britain.

Unit 1 exam questions

Once you have revised all the unit, and are confident on HOW TO ANSWER exams questions, you will need to start practice writing under timed conditions.
Try the questions below - I can mark them for you :)

You will need to answer 3 questions on the paper, spending 35 mins  on each one.

Each question is made up of 3 smaller questions with 20 mks in total.

 

1 Study Source A and then answer all parts of Question 1 which follow.

 

Source A

Fritz Fischer’s view of Germany’s foreign policy 1900–1914.

Fischer was a German historian, who put forward the view that Germany planned the First

World War in the years before 1914.

Germany’s foreign policy was based on a wish for growth. Sometimes it was friendly and based on reaching an agreement. At other times it was aggressive. The final aim was always to expand German power and land. Adapted from F FISCHER, Germany’s Aims in the First World War, 1966

 (a) In 1914, two armed camps existed in Europe, the Triple Alliance and the alliances between Britain, France and Russia.

Describe the main features of this alliance system.                                                                               4 marks

 

(b) Source A suggests possible aims of German foreign policy before the First World War.

Do you agree that these were the main aims of Germany’s foreign policy before the war?
Explain your answer by referring to the purpose of the source, as well as using its content and your knowledge.

                                                                                   6 marks

(c) Which was the more important reason for Great Britain joining the First World War in

1914:

·         the Naval Race with Germany, 1906–1914;

·         the Schlieffen Plan?

 

You must refer to both reasons when explaining your answer.                                               10 marks

 

 

This is taken from the sample paper given out by AQA for this year.

 

 

Unit 1 revision tick list

What do you need to revise?

1. Causes of World War 1

            a) What were the two alliances in Europe in        1914?

       b) What effect did the Moroccan Crises of     1905 and 1911 and  the Bosnian Crisis       1908–1909  have on the on the alliances?

       c) Why was there an arms race at the start of     the 20^th Century?

       d) Why was Archduke Franz Ferdinand   assassinated in 1914?

       e) How did this shooting trigger a World       War?

       f) What was the Schieffen plan and how did        this lead to War?

       g) Who was to blame for World War I?

 

 

 

 

Unit 1 - Flash cards

The Causes of World War One: Part A

                                                    

Key (Flash) Points

- write these on small pieces of card to keep on you - its an easy way of remembering things!

 

        The Great Powers were flexing their muscles in the early 1900s:

• Britain with its industry, Empire and navy began to fear the growth of Germany
• Germany, under Kaiser Wilhelm II, wanted a 'place in the sun' and feared Russia/France
• France wanted revenge, having been defeated by Germany (losing Alsace-Lorraine) in 1871
• Russia, ruled by Tsar Nicholas, had the largest army, and tried to protect Slav peoples
• Austria-Hungary had a large, mainly Slav empire, and wanted to crush Serbia
• Italy was a new country (1861) which wanted to become more powerful and important

 

> Britain, Germany and Russia were ruled by three cousins, but did not play 'Happy Families'...

Ambitions and fears led to secretive alliances and the build-up of armed forces:

• 1879 Dual Alliance (Germany/Austria-Hungary) > 1882 Triple Alliance (with Italy)
• The Triple Alliance was formed over 30 years before the outbreak of World War One
• 1894 Dual Alliance (France/Russia) + 1904 Entente Cordiale (Britain/France)
• When the British signed an alliance with Russia in 1907, the Triple Entente was formed
• So, the Triple Alliance (Ger/A-H/It) v the Triple Entente (GB/Fr/Rus)
• The alliances were meant to be defensive rather than aggressive
• However, a dispute between one member of each alliance could drag in the other members...
• All the Great Powers, except GB, had large armies of conscripts (not volunteers)
• Weapons and munititions were developed, produced and stockpiled (stored)
• New weapons, such as machine guns and howitzers (large guns), took weapons to a new level
• Countries raced to match and overtake each other weapons production: an Arms Race  

> Tensions grew and war became more likely as countries became more confident of success

 

 

A major part of the Arms Race was the Naval Race between Britain and Germany:

• The Navy protected trade and the British Empire and prevented invasion of Great Britain
• Germany had the world's best army, and the Kaiser wanted the best navy too
• The invention, by the British, of the Dreadnought battleship (1906) was a turning point
• Dreadnoughts (the first was called HMS...Dreadnought!) were large, fast and dangerous
• A race developed to see who could build the most, supported by most of the public
• "We've got four, we want more" & "We won't wait, we want eight" were popular demands
• 1909 - GB (8) v Germany (7)    1914 - GB (29) v Germany (17) - GB still 'ruled' the waves.
• Kaiser Wilhelm told the Daily Telegraph in 1908 that he "wanted to be friends with Britain"
• However, he did not help matters by claiming the English were "Mad as March hares"(!) and...
• "Germany must have a powerful fleet to protect her interests in even the most distant seas."  
• Was this 'friendly' interview a naval challenge the British Empire overseas?

> Overall, did the (Naval) Arms Race actually make war less likely, like the Cold War in the 1940s...?

 

The First Moroccan Crisis took place in 1905/06:

• Most of Africa was controlled by Britain and France - the Germans were envious
• France controlled most of NW Africa (e.g. Algeria), and wanted to add Morocco
• The German Kaiser visited Morocco (Tangiers) to support Morocco's independence
• He hoped to test the Entente Cordiale, but was amazed when GB backed France
• Britain also promised to defend French ports in the English Channel from German attacks
• The Algeciras (Spain) Conference in 1906 went the way of France
• Only Austria-Hungary supported the embarrassed Kaiser; Britain and France grew closer

> Events in Morocco increased tension; the Kaiser blamed Britain for his defeat...