3.1.1 Study Notes ENG (Teacher)

New Journey Through History (2nd edition) Study Notes
3.1.1 International conflicts and threats to peace in the 20th century :

The First World War (1914-1918)
Introduction: causes of the war (p.5-13)

Alliance system
Armaments race
Economic and colonial conflicts
European powers in early 20thth century
Extreme nationalism
Britain Russia France
Austria-Hungary Germany Italy Events leading to the War (p.17 - 21)

Pre-war crises
The Moroccan Crises
The Bosnian Crisis; The Balkan Wars
Austro-Serbian War （ Local

War ） became World War Immediate cause of the war:
the Sarajevo Incident (June 1914)
The First World War (1914-18) (p.25-32)

Two armed camps: Central Powers vs Allied Powers
Features of the war:
First total war in history
First three-dimensional warfare in history
First propaganda war in history
Political impact: changes in international

Solving post-war problems: the Paris
order (p.35-37)
Peace Conference (1919) (p.33-34)
Changing the map of Europe
Dominated by the 'Big Three' ：
Declining influence of Europe
Wilson (USA), Lloyd George (Britain)
Forming an international peacekeeping body
& Clemenceau (France)
The defeated countries were
punished most heavily, Germany was
forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles
Economic impact: war cost and
casualties (p.38)
Paved the way for the 2nd

nd World War
Social and technological impacts (p.39)
Rise in women’s position
Technological improvement
Aristo Educational Press Ltd © 2015 3.1.1-1
A. Introduction: causes of the war
1. Alliance system
(a) Start of the alliance system
 In 1873, German Chancellor _Otto von Bismarck_ started the alliance system.
 Germany was allied with Austria-Hungary and Russia.
- To isolate France;
- To prevent a _two-front war_.
(b) Triple Alliance and Triple Entente
 In 1882, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy formed the _Triple Alliance_.

 In 1907, Britain, France and Russia formed the _Triple Entente_.
 Europe was divided into two rival camps before WWI.
Triple Entente (Britain, France, Russia)
Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy)
(c) Effects of the alliance system
 The alliance system threatened European peace:

- The European powers made the alliances in _secret_. This caused distrust
and suspicion among them.
- The powers thought they were supported by their allies. They would not give
way easily when they had quarrels with other countries.
- A small quarrel between two powers might involve more powers as each had
allies. This might lead to a major conflict and even a _general war_.
2. Armaments race
(a) Causes of the armaments race
 After 1871, relations among the European powers got worse.

 They competed to produce more and better armaments, and built up large armies.
 Military power was also a symbol of _national strength_.
 A strong navy could protect overseas colonies and economic interests.
(b) Forms of the armaments race
 Arms race: The European powers spent lot of money on building armaments.
They also developed new and powerful weapons.
 Army race: They introduced _conscription_ to build up a large army.
 Naval race: They built faster, larger and more powerful battleships.
(c) Naval race between Germany and Britain
 _Britain_ and _Germany_ were the chief rivals in the naval race.
 In 1898, Germany decided to build a large navy in order to protect its overseas
interests and challenge the naval supremacy of Britain.
 In 1906, Britain built a new class of battleship called the _dreadnought_.
 Anglo-German relations were worsened as they competed to build dreadnoughts.
(d) Disarmament conferences
 Two disarmament conferences were called at _Hague_ in 1899 and 1907.

- Aimed to improve the relations among the European powers.
 The powers distrusted one another, both conferences failed.
(e) Effects of the armaments race
 The armaments race increased tensions in Europe and made war more likely:
- Being backed up by a lot of weapons, the European powers would not give
way easily when they had quarrels with other countries.
- The armaments race made the Europeans more _warlike_. They believed war
could bring them glory and supported going to war to solve problems.
3. Economic and colonial conflicts
(a) Economic conflicts between the powers
 In the 19th century, the European powers made rapid industrial progress.
 In 1871, _Germany_ became unified and soon became an industrial power.
- This aroused the fear and jealousy of the other powers.
 Economic competition between the powers developed.
 To protect home industries, the powers imposed _restrictions_ on foreign goods.
(b) Causes of colonial competition
 The European powers competed for colonies in the late 19th century:
- Political reasons: Colonies were symbols of _national power_.
- Economic reasons: Colonies could provide resources, cheap labour and
overseas markets for European products. They could also provide _living
space_ for the growing population of the colonial powers.
(c) Effects of colonial expansion
 By the early 20th century, almost the whole of Africa, South Asia and Southeast
Asia were colonized by the European powers.
 Colonial conflicts between the European powers worsened their relations.
 In 1881, colonial conflicts broke out between Italy and

France as both wanted to colonize _Tunisia_.
Tunisian Incident
 France finally took Tunisia.
(1881)
 Italy joined Germany and Austria-Hungary to form the
Triple Alliance.
 In 1898, the armies of Britain and France met in
Fashoda Incident Fashoda (in East Africa).
(1898)  _France_ gave way at last, and Anglo-French relations
improved.
Moroccan Crises  Two crises happened when _France_ and _Germany_
(1905-06 wanted to turn Morocco into their colony.
and 1911)  Franco-German relations worsened

 In order to strengthen their positions, European powers formed alliances, and the
armaments race was intensified.
4. Extreme nationalism
(a) Forms of extreme nationalisms
 _Nationalism_: The desire of people of the same race and culture to govern
themselves.
 By the early 20th century, nationalism had become extreme in Europe.
- People supported the territorial expansion to gain power and fame.
- They also supported the use of force to solve conflicts.
 _Extreme nationalism_ created some dangerous movements in Europe.
France:  France was determined to take back _Alsace-Lorraine_

Revenge against from Germany and take revenge on Germany for its
Germany defeat in the _Franco-Prussian War_.
 All Germans in Europe should be united to build a great
Germany: _Pan-
German empire under this movement.
Germanism_
 Later, it aimed to establish world domination.
 A movement to bring all Slavs under Russian leadership.
Russia: _Pan-
 Russia supported _Serbia_, another Slavic state, to
Slavism_
expand in the Balkans.
Serbia:  Serbia wanted to unite the Serbians in the Balkans to
Greater Serbia form an independent 'Great Serbia'.
 To regain national glory, Austria-Hungary started to
Austria-Hungary:
expand to the Balkans.
Expanding into
 As there were _Slavs_ in the empire, Austria-Hungary
the Balkans
felt threatened by Russia and Serbia.
(b) Effects of extreme nationalisms
 Extreme nationalism intensified the tensions among the European powers.

 It also led to many crises in Africa and the _Balkan_ Peninsula.
 The crises worsened the international relations.

B. Events leading to the War
1. Pre-war crises
(a) The Moroccan Crises (1905-1906 and 1911)
(i) The First Moroccan Crisis (1905-1906)
 In 1900s, Germany and France competed to expand their influence in Morocco.

 In 1905, the First Moroccan Crisis broke out when _Kaiser William II_ visited
Morocco.
 A conference was held to settle the crisis.
- France, _Britain_ and _Russia_ joined together led to a defeat for Germany.
(ii) The Second Moroccan Crisis (1911)
 In 1911, Germany sent a gunboat to the Moroccan port of _Agadir_ to prevent

France occupying Morocco.
 The Second Moroccan Crisis broke out.
- Britain and France were prepared to go to war with Germany.
- Finally, Kaiser William II agreed to give up.
 The impact of the Moroccan Crises:
- _Germany_ felt humiliated by Britain and France.
- Britain and France drew closer.
(b) The Balkan problems (1908-1913)
(i) The Bosnian Crisis (1908)
 In 1908, Austria-Hungary annexed _Bosnia-Herzegovina_.

 _Serbia_ was angry with this because it also wanted to get these two places.
 Serbia asked _Russia_ for help and _Germany_ supported Austria-Hungary.
 Europe was brought very close to war.
 Finally, Russia advised Serbia to accept the annexation.
 Hostility intensified between Austria-Hungary and Serbia after the crisis.

(ii) The Balkan Wars (1912 and 1913)
 The First Balkan War (1912):

- In 1912, Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Greece formed the _Balkan
League_.
- They aimed to control the remaining Turkish territories in the _Balkans_.
- The league defeated the Ottoman Empire.
 The Second Balkan War (1913):
- _Bulgaria_ was not satisfied with its gain in the First Balkan War.
- In 1913, it went to war with the former allies and the Ottoman Empire, but
was defeated finally.
 Situation after the Balkan Wars:
- After the First Balkan War, Austria-Hungary insisted on forming _Albania_.
- This stopped Serbia from getting an outlet to the _Adriatic Sea_.
- Austro-Serbian relations further worsened.
- Serbia was greatly enlarged territorially after the Balkan wars.
- Its nationalism grew stronger and became more anti-Austrian.
- Austro-Serbian hostility led to the _Sarajevo Incident_.
2. Immediate cause of the war: the Sarajevo Incident (1914)
 On June 28, 1914, Bosnian student Princip assassinated _Archduke Franz

Ferdinand_ (the heir to the Austrian throne) and his wife in Sarajevo.
- Princip was a member of an anti-Austrian secret society in Serbia.
 Austria-Hungary accused _Serbia_ of causing the incident.
- It wanted to use the event to crush Serbia once and for all.
3. Outbreak of the war
 After gaining the support of Germany, Austria-Hungary sent an _ultimatum_ to

Serbia on July 23, and demanding a reply within 48 hours.
 The main terms of the ultimatum included:
- Serbia had to stop all anti-Austrian activities.
- Serbia had to dismiss all anti-Austrian officials.
- Austria-Hungary would send officials to Serbia to ensure that the demands
were carried out.

 With the support of _Russia_, Serbia mobilized and refused to accept the last
demand, which violated its national sovereignty.
 Austria-Hungary then declared war on Serbia on July 28.
 Other powers joined the war.
 The Austro-Serbian War became a general war in Europe.
 The _First World War_ started.

C. Course of the war
1. Two armed camps
 The WWI was fought between the _Central Powers_ and the _Allied Powers_.
- Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman
Empire.
- Allied Powers: Mainly included Britain, France, Russia and the _USA_.
 The war was mainly fought in Europe.
- _Western_ Front: Britain and France fought against Germany.
- _Eastern_ Front: Germany and Austria-Hungary fought against Russia.
 As more countries outside Europe joined the war later, the WWI became a truly
global conflict.
2. First total war in history
 The WWI lasted for more than _four_ years.

 To support the prolonged war, the warring countries put in all their resources and
mobilized all their people, including civilians and even women.
- The First World War was the first total war in history.
Year Main Development

1914  Germany failed to defeat France.
 _Trench_ warfare began on the Western Front, making it a _stalemate_.
1915  Italy joined the Allied Powers.
 Germany started the _unrestricted submarine warfare_, which sank the
British ship Lusitania and killed many American passengers.
 American-German relations got worse.
1917  The _United States_ entered the war
 It strengthened the economic and military power of the Allied Powers.
1918  Russia signed a treaty with Germany and withdrew from the war.
 The Central Powers surrendered one by one – the WWI ended.

3. First three-dimensional warfare in history
 The WWI was the first three-dimensional war in history:

- Fighting not only confined to land and sea, but also extended to the _air_.
- The area of fighting widened.
 Together with the use of new weapons such as fighter planes, tanks, machine
guns, poison gas, the WWI caused great destruction and casualties.
4. First propaganda war in history
 Many _propaganda posters_ were published by the Central Powers and the
Allied Powers during the WWI.
- Portrayed their enemies as aggressors.
- Portrayed their war efforts as a fight for freedom and peace.
- Encouraged people to buy bonds in order to support the war.
- Encouraged people to join the army or work in factories.

D. Results and impact of the war
1. Solving post-war problems: the Paris Peace Conference (1919)
 In 1919, the victorious countries held the _Paris Peace Conference_ to decide on
the peace settlement.
 The '_Big Three_': Leaders of the USA, Britain and France.
The Main aims

‘Big Three’
Wilson _The Fourteen Points _
(USA)  proposed the Fourteen Points as the basis for the peace talks
 did not support harsh punishment on Germany
 wanted the formation of an international organization to
maintain world peace
Clemenceau To weaken _Germany_ permanently
(France)  demanded Germany return the French land gained in the
Franco-Prussian War
 wanted harsh punishment on Germany in order to weaken
Germany permanently
Lloyd George Balance of power
(Britain)  wanted to maintain the balance of power in Europe
 did not want to see Germany weakened too much
 aimed to take over German colonies overseas and maintain
Britain's _naval_ supremacy
 The defeated countries were not consulted about the peace terms.
- They were just asked to sign the peace treaties.
 The defeated countries had to disarm, pay reparations and cede some land.
 Germany was punished most heavily by signing the _Treaty of Versailles_.
The main terms in the Treaty of Versailles

 The German army was reduced to 100,000; no tanks, submarines and
fighter planes were allowed.
 The _Rhineland_ would become a demilitarized zone.
 Germany had to give up all its colonies.

 Germany had to cede 13% of its land to neighbouring nations.

 Germany had to pay reparations (6.6 billion pounds in 42 years).
 Germany had to accept full responsibility for causing the war (the _War-
guilt Clause_).
 Germany and Austria were forbidden to be unified.
 The Germans thought that the Treaty of Versailles was too harsh, and it was
unfair for Germany to accept full responsibility for the WWI.
 Their hatred towards the treaty paved the way for the WWII (1939-45).
2. Political impact: changes in international order
(a) Changing the map of Europe
 The First World War greatly changed the map of Europe.

- The Russian Empire ended and three independent states were set up in the
western Baltic area. Finland also became independent.
- Austria-Hungary was split into Austria and Hungary. Both had to cede land
to neighbouring countries, and used part of the land to form
_Czechoslovakia_.
- Germany ceded land to neighbouring countries. _East Prussia_ was separated

from mainland Germany. _Poland_ then had an access to the Baltic Sea
- _Yugoslavia_ was set up in the Balkans.

Source: Maps about Europe before (left) and after the WWI (right)
(b) Declining influence of Europe
 The WWI greatly weakened Europe, as it was the main battlefield of the war.
 Even the victorious nations such as Britain, France and Italy became weaker, and
they had to pay _war debts_ to the USA.
 The economic and military power of the USA and _Japan_ grew during the war,
they could challenge Europe's international leadership.
(c) Forming an international peacekeeping body
 President Wilson of the USA suggested forming a peacekeeping body to

maintain world peace during the war.
 In 1920, the _League of Nations_ (the League) was set up.
- Its headquarters was in Geneva, Switzerland.
- Main aims: to maintain peace and to solve international conflicts through
_collective_ action.
3. Economic impact: war cost and casualties
 The WWI was a very destructive war.

- About 8.5 million people were killed and more than 30 million injured.
- It cost 330 billion USD worth economic loss to the world.
- Countless farmland, factories, houses and roads were destroyed.
- There were serious unemployment, inflation and shortages of food after the
war.
 Europe was badly hit as it was the main battlefield of the war.
 The victorious countries had to pay war debts, while the defeated countries had
to pay reparations.
- This affected the post-war _reconstruction_ of Europe.
4. Social and technological impacts
(a) Rise in women’s position
 The WWI greatly changed the position of women.

 Their contributions to the country during the war were recognized.
 After the war, Britain, the USA and some Western nations gave women the right
to _vote_.
- Their social status rose.
 Women also started to become economically independent.
(b) Technological improvement
 During WWI, new technologies were developed and new inventions were made.
 After the war, military transportation and communication means such as planes
and radios were used by the public.

Year Important Event Extended concept

1870 Franco-Prussian War broke out  Franco-German relations worsened
 Extreme Nationalism: led to the French
revenge movement
1873 Germany, Austria-Hungary and  Alliance system: system began
Russia formed the Three  Germany’s isolation policy against France
Emperors’ League  The relations between Germany, Austria-
Hungary and Russia strengthened
1881 Tunisian Incident broke out  Colonial conflicts
 Franco-Italian relations worsened
1882 Germany, Austria-Hungary and  Alliance system
Italy formed the Triple Alliance  The relations between Germany, Austria-
Hungary and Italy strengthened
1888 Kaiser William II succeeded as
the German Emperor
1890 Bismarck resigned as the  Germany turned to adopt the expansionist
chancellor of Germany ‘World Policy’
1898 Germany started its plan to build  Armaments race
a large navy  Anglo-German relations worsened
Fashoda Incident broke out  Colonial conflicts
 France gave way at last, Anglo-French
relations improved
1899 First Hague Conference opened  Disarmament conferences
 Resulted in failure
1905 First Moroccan Crisis broke out  Colonial conflicts
 Extreme nationalism: Conflicts between
different forms of extreme nationalisms
 Alliance system: Conflicts between two
rival camps
 The relations between Britain, France and
Russia strengthened
 Austro-German relations strengthened
 German became more hostile to France,
Britain and Russia

1906 Britain successfully built  Naval race between Germany and Britain
dreadnought intensified
1907 Britain, France and Russia  Alliance System: Europe was divided into
formed the Triple Entente two rival camps
 The relations between Britain, France and
Russia strengthened
Second Hague Conference  Disarmament conferences
opened  Resulted in failure
1908 Bosnian Crisis broke out  Extreme nationalism: Conflicts between
rival camps
 Austro-Serbian relations worsened
 Austro-Russian and German-Russian
relations worsened
 Russo-Serbian relations strengthened
 Austro-German relations strengthened
1911 Second Moroccan Crisis broke  Colonial conflicts
out  Extreme nationalism: Conflicts between
 Armaments race: Race intensified
rival camps
 Anglo-French relations strengthened
 Anglo-German and Franco-German
relations worsened
1912 First Balkan War broke out  Extreme nationalism: Conflicts between
1913 Second Balkan War broke out  Extreme nationalism: Conflicts between
1914 Sarajevo Incident occurred  Extreme nationalism: Conflicts between

 Austro-Serbian relations further worsened

Austro-Serbian War broke out  Extreme nationalism: Conflicts between
WWI broke out  Alliance system: Turning a local war to a
general war
1915 Italian entry into the WWI  The Allied Powers signed a secret treaty
with Italy
 The entry of Italy did not break the
stalemate
1917 American entry into the WWI  The economic and military power of the
Allied Powers was greatly strengthened
 Turning point of the WWI
1918 Wilson suggested the 'Fourteen  Affected the post-war arrangements
Points'
 Russian withdrawal from
the WWI
 Germany surrendered
 WWI ended
1919 Paris Peace Conference opened  Dominated by the 'Big Three'
 The defeated countries was punished and
signed peace treaties with the victorious
countries
 Germany was punished most heavily by
signing the Treaty of Versailles, which
included the War-guilt Clause
1920 The League of Nations set up  The first international peacekeeping body

A. Introduction: Causes of the war
1. Franco-Prussian War (1870-71)

- France was defeated in the Franco-Prussian War and had to cede Alsace-
Lorraine to the newly-formed Germany. This led to the future of Franco-
German hostility.
2. Alliance system
- A diplomatic system started by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. He
wanted to secure Germany’s position in Europe and isolate France by
forming alliance with other powers.
3. Triple Alliance
- An alliance formed by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy in 1882. The
three powers promised they would give each other military support in case
of a war. The Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente were two rival camps in
Europe.
4. Triple Entente
- It was the name given to the alliance among France, Britain, and Russia
after the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente in 1907. The Triple Entente
and the Triple Alliance were two rival camps in Europe.
5. Armaments race
- It refers to the competition between the powers to produce more and better
armaments, and build up large armies, in order to be stronger than their
rivals.
6. Dreadnought
- It was the largest, fastest and most powerful battleship in the early 20th
century. Before WWI, Britain and Germany competed to build more
dreadnoughts, which worsened their relations.

7. Hague disarmament conferences (1899 and 1907)

- Two disarmament conferences were called to improve the relations among
the European powers. As the powers distrusted one another, both
conferences failed.
8. Tunisian Incident (1881)

- An colonial conflict broke out when both Italy and France wanted to
colonize Tunisia. Finally, France took Tunisia, Italy joined Germany and
Austria-Hungary to form the Triple Alliance in response.
9. Extreme nationalism
- By the early 20th century, nationalism had become extreme in Europe.
People supported the territorial expansion of their countries and the use of
force to solve conflicts. Extreme nationalism created dangerous movements
in Europe.
10. Pan-Germanism
- It was a movement promoted by Germany which aimed to unite all
Germans in Europe to build a great German empire. Later, it even became a
movement to establish world domination.
11. Pan-Slavism
- It was a movement promoted by Russia which aimed to bring all Slavs
under Russian leadership. Therefore, Russia supported Serbia, another
Slavic state, to expand in the Balkans.
12. Great Serbia

- Serbia wanted to unite the Serbians in the Balkans to form an independent
'Great Serbia'.
B. Events leading to the War
1. The Moroccan Crises (1905-1906 and 1911)

- Two crises happened when both France and Germany wanted to turn
Morocco into their colony. Europe was brought close to war during the
crises, and the Anglo-German and Franco-German relations worsened.

2. The Bosnian Crisis (1908)

- Serbia was angry with the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina by Austria-
Hungary. The crisis ended peacefully, but hostility intensified between
Austria-Hungary and Serbia.
3. The Balkan Wars (1912 and 1913)

- Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Greece first formed the Balkan League
and defeated the Ottoman Empire. Later, an internal conflict broke out
among the League which resulted in the Second Balkan War. Austro-
Serbian relations further worsened as Serbia grew stronger and Austria-
Hungary insisted on forming an independent Albania.
4. The Sarajevo Incident (June 28, 1914)

- Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo. Austria-Hungary
accused Serbia of causing the incident and sent an ultimatum to Serbia.
Finally, Austro-Serbian War broke out and soon turned to be a world war.
C. Course of the war
1. The Central Powers and the Allied Powers

- They were the two armed camps during WWI. The Central Powers included
Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. The Allied
Powers mainly included Britain, France, Russia and the United States.
2. Total war
- WWI was the first total war in history. To support the prolonged war, the
warring countries put in all their resources and mobilized all their people,
including civilians and even women.
3. Unrestricted submarine warfare

- A war-time strategy adopted by Germany by which the German submarines
attacked all ships, including those from neutral countries sailing to Britain.
4. The German telegram to Mexico (Zimmermann Telegram)

- A secret telegram sent by Germany which asked Mexico to fight against the
United States together in early 1917. It was the direct cause of American
Entry into WWI.
D. Results and impact of the war
1. The Paris Peace Conference (1919)

- A conference held by the victorious countries to decide on the post-war
peace settlement.
2. The ‘Big Three’

- Wilson (American President), Lloyd George (British Prime Minister) and
Clemenceau (French Prime Minister) dominated the Paris Peace
Conference. They were known as the 'Big Three'.
3. The Treaty of Versailles

- The treaty signed by Germany after its defeat in WWI. According to the
treaty, Germany had to disarm, give up all colonies, cede lands, pay huge
indemnity, and most importantly accept full responsibility for causing the
war (the War-guilt Clause). Germans’ hatred towards the treaty paved the
way for WWII.
4. The War-guilt Clause

- Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles (known as the War-guilt Clause).
Germany had to accept full responsibility for causing WWI.
5. The League of Nations (the League)

- It was an international peacekeeping body formed after WWI. Its
headquarters was in Geneva, Switzerland. The main aims of the League
were to maintain peace and to solve international conflicts through
collective action.

 Four main factors which led to the outbreak of the WWI
Factors Key Concept

Alliance system Two rival camps:
Triple Alliance
(Formed in 1882 by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy)
VS
Triple Entente
(Formed in 1907 by Britain, France and Russia)
Armaments race Naval (Especially dreadnought) race between
Germany and Britain
Economic and The Moroccan Crises (1905-06 and 1911):
colonial conflicts German became more hostile to France, Britain and Russia
Extreme Germany: Pan-Germanism
nationalism France: Revenge against Germany Franco-German hostility
Russia: Pan-Slavism German-Russian hostility
Serbia: Greater Serbia Austro-Russian hostility
Austria-Hungary: Expanding into Austro-Serbian hostility
the Balkans
 The importance of the four main factors
Factors Importance
Alliance system  Secret alliances caused distrust and suspicion
 Might lead to a major conflict and even a general war
Armament race  Increased the tensions and made war more likely
Economic and  In order to protect or extend their interests, the European
colonial conflicts powers formed alliance and started armaments race
Extreme  Intensified the tensions among the European powers
nationalism  Led to many crises which worsened the international
relations

 The Paris Peace Conference (1919)
 Being dominated by the ‘Big Three’:

Lloyd George (British Prime Minister), Clemenceau (French Prime Minister)
& Wilson (American President)
 Main aim of the peace treaties: punishing the defeated countries
 Germany was punished most heavily: the Treaty of Versailles
(Huge reparations, disarmament, cede territory, give up all colonies, accept
the War-guilt Clause)
 Germans' hatred towards the Treaty of Versailles paved the way for the
WWII (1939-45)
 Impact of the WWI
Impact Key Concept

Political  Changing the map of Europe:
- Four traditional empires disintegrated
- New nation-states formed / re-emerged
 Declining influence of Europe
- European powers being weakened
- The international status of the USA and Japan rose
 Forming an international peacekeeping body: the League
of Nations (the League / LN)
Economic  War cost and casualties
 Main warring countries needed more times for post-war
reconstruction
Social and  Rise in women’s position: Their contributions to the
technological country during the war were recognized
 Technological improvement

1. Which of the following countries was NOT a member of the Triple Alliance?
A. Germany
B. Italy
C. Russia
C
D. Austria-Hungary
2. Bosnia-Herzegovina was annexed by which of the following countries in 1908?

A. Britain
B. The Ottoman Empire
C. Russia
D
D. Austria-Hungary
3. In which of the following two countries did conflict arise in 1881 as they wanted
to colonize Tunisia?
A. Italy and France
B. France and Britain
C. Germany and Italy
A
D. Austria-Hungary and Russia
4. In which year did Britain successfully build the dreadnought?

A. 1898
B. 1900
C. 1906
C
D. 1911
5. Which of the following was NOT a correct match about extreme nationalism?
A. Germany: Pan-Germanisn
B. Russia: Pan-Slavism
C. Austria-Hungary: Expansion to the Balkans
D
D. Serbia: Greater Yugoslavia

6. Which of the following is the correct chronological order of the events during
WWI?
A. Italian entry into war → American entry into war → Unrestricted submarine
warfare began → Russian withdrawal from war
B. Unrestricted submarine warfare began → Italian entry into war → American
entry into war → Russian withdrawal from war
C. Italian entry into war → Unrestricted submarine warfare began → Russian
withdrawal from war → American entry into war
D. American entry into war → Italian entry into war → Russian withdrawal from B
war → Unrestricted submarine warfare began
7. Which of the following was a correct description of the WWI?

A. On the Western Front, Britain and Russia fought against Germany.
B. The war lasted for more than eight years.
C. On the Eastern Front, Germany and Austria-Hungary fought against the
United States.
D
D. The war was the first three-dimensional war in history.
8. Which of the following persons was NOT a member of the ‘Big Three’?
A. Wilson
B. Bismarck
C. Lloyd George
B
D. Clemenceau
9. Which of the following was a correct description of the Treaty of Versailles?

A. Alsace-Lorraine become a demilitarized zone.
B. Germany had to pay reparations of 6.6 billion pounds in 42 years.
C. Germany had to accept collective responsibility for causing the war.
B
D. Germany could only keep its oversea colonies in Africa.
10. In which year did the League of Nations set up?

A. 1918
B. 1919
C. 1920
C
D. 1922

Study the sources below and answer the questions that follow. (13 marks)
Source A：A French cartoon about the Paris Peace Conference, published in 1919
Clemenceau,
French Prime Minister
German
y
Source B：A Norwegian cartoon about the Paris Peace Conference, published in 1919
Clemenceau,
French Prime Minister
German delegates
Clemenceau
(to the German delegates):
“Take your seats,
gentlemen!”

1. What was the cartoonist's view on Clemenceau’s policy towards Germany in the
Paris Peace Conference? Explain your answer with reference to the clues from
Source A. (3 marks)
2. Did the cartoonist of Source B share the same view on Clemenceau’s policy
towards Germany in the Paris Peace Conference with the cartoonist's of Source
A? Explain your answer with reference to Sources A and B. (3 marks)
3. Was the view of the cartoonists of Sources A and B supported by enough historical
facts? Explain your answer with reference to Sources A and B, and using your
own knowledge. (1+6 marks)

1. What was the cartoonist's view on Clemenceau’s policy towards Germany in the
Paris Peace Conference? Explain your answer with reference to the clues from
Source A. (3 marks)
 The cartoonist viewed that Clemenceau punished Germany heavily in the Paris
Peace Conference. (1 mark)
 The cartoonist depicted Clemenceau and Germany as ‘tiger’ and ‘eagle’
respectively. According to Source A, the bigger and stronger tiger representing
Clemenceau used its claw to grab the eagle representing Germany, meaning that
Germany fell prey to Clemenceau and was cruelly treated in the peace
conference. (2 marks)
2. Did the cartoonist of Source B share the same view on Clemenceau’s policy
towards Germany in the Paris Peace Conference with the cartoonist's of Source
A? Explain your answer with reference to Sources A and B. (3 marks)
 The two cartoonists shared the same view. (1 mark)

 According to Source B, Clemenceau invited the German delegates to sit on the
prickly chairs and take the prickly food, meaning that he punished Germany
heavily in the Paris Peace Conference. (2 mark)
3. Was the view of the cartoonists of Sources A and B supported by enough historical
facts? Explain your answer with reference to Sources A and B, and using your
own knowledge. (1+6 marks)
 The view of the cartoonists of Sources A and B was supported by enough

historical facts. (1 mark)
 Reasons for Clemenceau to punish Germany heavily:
After the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), France was determined to take back
Alsace-Lorraine and take revenge on Germany. Therefore, Clemenceau wanted
harsh punishment on Germany after the WWI in order to weaken Germany
permanently, preventing it from threatening France again. (3 marks)

 Germany was punished heavily in the post-war peace conference:

As argued strongly by Clemenceau, Germany was punished heavily in the Paris
Peace Conference. Germany was not consulted about the peace terms, it was just
asked to sign the Treaty of Versailles. According to the treaty, Germany had to
disarm, give up all colonies, cede land (including return Alsace-Lorraine to
France), pay huge indemnity, and most importantly accept full responsibility for
causing the war (the War-guilt Clause). (3 marks)

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New Journey Through History (2nd edition) Study Notes

3.1.1 International conflicts and threats to peace in the 20th century :

Introduction: causes of the war (p.5-13)

Austria-Hungary Germany Italy Events leading to the War (p.17 - 21)

Austro-Serbian War （ Local

The First World War (1914-18) (p.25-32)

Political impact: changes in international

Paved the way for the 2nd

A. Introduction: causes of the war

(a) Start of the alliance system

(b) Triple Alliance and Triple Entente

 In 1882, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy formed the _Triple Alliance_.

Triple Entente (Britain, France, Russia)

Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy)

(c) Effects of the alliance system

 The alliance system threatened European peace:

(a) Causes of the armaments race

 After 1871, relations among the European powers got worse.

(b) Forms of the armaments race

(c) Naval race between Germany and Britain

(d) Disarmament conferences

 Two disarmament conferences were called at _Hague_ in 1899 and 1907.

(e) Effects of the armaments race

3. Economic and colonial conflicts

(a) Economic conflicts between the powers

(b) Causes of colonial competition

(c) Effects of colonial expansion

 In 1881, colonial conflicts broke out between Italy and

Aristo Educational Press Ltd © 2015 3.1.1-4

(a) Forms of extreme nationalisms

France:  France was determined to take back _Alsace-Lorraine_

(b) Effects of extreme nationalisms

 Extreme nationalism intensified the tensions among the European powers.

Aristo Educational Press Ltd © 2015 3.1.1-5

B. Events leading to the War

(a) The Moroccan Crises (1905-1906 and 1911)

(i) The First Moroccan Crisis (1905-1906)

 In 1900s, Germany and France competed to expand their influence in Morocco.

(ii) The Second Moroccan Crisis (1911)

 In 1911, Germany sent a gunboat to the Moroccan port of _Agadir_ to prevent

(b) The Balkan problems (1908-1913)

(i) The Bosnian Crisis (1908)

 In 1908, Austria-Hungary annexed _Bosnia-Herzegovina_.

Aristo Educational Press Ltd © 2015 3.1.1-6

(ii) The Balkan Wars (1912 and 1913)

 The First Balkan War (1912):

2. Immediate cause of the war: the Sarajevo Incident (1914)

 On June 28, 1914, Bosnian student Princip assassinated _Archduke Franz

3. Outbreak of the war

 After gaining the support of Germany, Austria-Hungary sent an _ultimatum_ to

Aristo Educational Press Ltd © 2015 3.1.1-7

Aristo Educational Press Ltd © 2015 3.1.1-8

C. Course of the war

1. Two armed camps

2. First total war in history

 The WWI lasted for more than _four_ years.

Year Main Development

Aristo Educational Press Ltd © 2015 3.1.1-9

3. First three-dimensional warfare in history

 The WWI was the first three-dimensional war in history:

4. First propaganda war in history

Aristo Educational Press Ltd © 2015 3.1.1-10

D. Results and impact of the war

1. Solving post-war problems: the Paris Peace Conference (1919)