CH. 25 IMPERIALISM, ALLIANCES, AND WAR

EUROPE BEFORE AND AFTER WWI

EXPANSION OF EUROPEAN POWER AND THE NEW IMPERIALISM

• 1870s-1900s European states expanded their control over 1/5 of world’s land and 1/10 of the population• Expansion driven by developments in science, agriculture,

technology, communication, transportation, and military weapons • Became know as New Imperialism

NEW IMPERIALISM THEORIES

• Economic Theory advanced by J.A. Hobson and Lenin that viewed imperialism as a monopolistic form of capitalism • Argument: Underdeveloped nations had raw materials and provided

markets • Argument: Imperialism was an effort to cure the depression of

1873-1896 • none of these theories have been proven

NEW IMPERIALISM AND RELIGION AND POPULATION

• Imperialism as an effort to extend European culture and Christianity to less industrialized regions • Bring culture in the form of religion would make these regions less

“backward” • Colonies would attract Europe’s surplus population• European emigrant actually preferred areas not controlled by their

home countries in North and South America

EMERGENCE OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE AND THE ALLIANCE SYSTEM

• In 1873 Bismarck formed the Three Emperors’ League which brought together Germany, Austria, and Russia • The league would collapse because of Austria and Russia rivalry in

the Balkans• The Congress of Berlin resulted in Russia’s significant loss of

territory and a new tension arose between Germany and Russia• Germany and Austria signed the Dual Alliance where they would

protect each other if either country was attacked by Russia

EMERGENCE OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE AND THE ALLIANCE SYSTEM

• Russia soon joined and renewed the Three Emperors’ League in 1881 • Another series of alliances between Austria, Germany and Italy

were arranged but the rise of William II to the German throne upset these alliances and led to the dismissal of Bismarck • New Alliances led to the Franco-Russian alliance of 1894 and a new

tension arose between Britain and Germany • Britain concluded agreements with the French in 1902 known as the

Entente Cordaiale • Triple Alliance Entente Britain France and Russia was now posed

against the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria and Italy

WWI

• A series of Balkan Crises advanced war• Both Serbia and Austria-Hungary wanted to expand into the

Balkans • Austria annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908 and proceeded to

alienate Russia which sided with Serbia in the Crisis • Germany joined Austria’s cause to keep the Russian threat in check

WWI

• A second crisis in Morocco occurred in 1911 when Germany protested French occupation of the region • Germany Sent the Panther gunboat to protect German interests• This action irritated Britain which pledged support to France • Negotiations allowed France to establish a protectorate in Morocco

and gave Germany some land in the French Congo • Increase of British fear and hostility toward Germany and a closer

alliance with France

WWI

• June 28, 1914 assassination of Archduke Ferdinand • Austrian heir to the throne was killed by a Bosnian nationalism

would spur the outbreak of war • Serbia’s involvement with the plot provoked outrage in Europe • Germany agreed to support Austria in an attack on Serbia and war

was declared in July but did not begin until August • Russia was not eager for war, Pan-Slav nationalists demanded

action which resulted in partial mobilization • France and Britain were not eager for war but alliance required

them to aid Russia

THE RUSSIA REVOLUTION

• March 1917, a Russian Revolution overthrew the tsarists government of the Nicholas II • The war put too many demands on Russian Resources and peasant

discontent had plagued the country for many years• Strikes worker demonstrations erupted, the tsar abdicated, the

government fell to the members of the reconvened Duma• Provisional government was formed composed of Constitutional

democrats and western sympathizers • The government remained loyal to tsarist alliances and decided to

continue the war against Germany

THE BOLSHEVIK WING

• The Bolshevik Wing of the Social Democratic party had been working against the provisional government• Vladimir Lenin Demanded that political powers got the soviets

which were councils of workers and soldiers controlled by the Menshevik wing, a group of orthodox Marxists• With Lenin's help, Leon Trotsky organized a coup that concluded

with Bolshevik rule of Russia

THE END OF WWI AND SETTLEMENT OF PARIS

• March 1918 Germany agreed to accept defeat and sought peace on the basis of Wilson’s 14 points plan which included a creation of the League of Nations • The Great War came to end with 4 million dead and 8.3 million

wounded among the Central powers and 5.4 million dead and 7 million wounded among the Allies

THE PARIS SETTLEMENT

• The Paris settlement consisted of five separate treaties between victors and defeated • The Soviet Union and Germany were not included in peace talks • The League of Nations was established and its covenant was an

important part of the peace treaty • France won Alsace-Lorraine, Germany disarmed, United States and

Britain agreed to protect France from any future German aggression • The Austro-Hungarian Empire Disappeared giving way to five small

states• Germany was required to pay 5 billion annually in reparations until

1921