The Origins And Course Of The First World War, 1905-18
Overview
In the summer of 1914 a teenage Bosnian Serb shot an Austrian archduke in a side street in Sarajevo. Within six weeks the armies of six great powers were marching, and within four years roughly nine million soldiers were dead. Nobody in July 1914 intended that outcome, which is exactly why historians have argued about it ever since: was this a war Germany planned, or a war that a system of alliances, timetables and fear made almost impossible to stop?
This note takes you through the rivalries of 1905 to 1914, the crises that hardened them, the failure of the Schlieffen Plan and the deadlock that followed, the war at sea and at Gallipoli, and the collapse of Germany in 1918. Because this is a Paper 2 source topic, it also trains the three skills the examiner actually rewards: inferring from a source, cross-referring two sources that do not quite agree, and testing a historian's interpretation against evidence and your own knowledge.
Objectives
- The alliance system and international rivalry, 1905-14: the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente, economic, imperial and military causes of rivalry
- The growth of tension in Europe, 1905-14: the Balkans, the Bosnian Crisis, the Balkan Wars, Anglo-German rivalry, the naval race, the Moroccan Crises, the assassination at Sarajevo, events leading to war
- The Schlieffen Plan and deadlock on the Western Front: reasons for the Plan's failure, the trench system, new weapons, reasons for deadlock, the Somme and Passchendaele, the responsibility of Haig
- The war at sea and Gallipoli: the German threat, naval battles, the U-boat threat, the Lusitania, the Gallipoli campaign
- The defeat of Germany: the US entry into the war, the Ludendorff spring offensive, the Allied drive to victory, reasons for German defeat
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Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on The Origins And Course Of The First World War, 1905-18. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which three countries formed the Triple Alliance of 1882? A) Britain, France and Russia B) Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy C) Germany, Russia and Italy D) France, Russia and Serbia Answer: B
- What was the immediate reason Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914? A) The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand B) The German declaration of war on Russia C) The German invasion of neutral Belgium D) The sinking of the Lusitania Answer: C
- Which battle in September 1914 halted the German advance and ended the Schlieffen Plan? A) The Battle of Mons B) The Battle of the Marne C) The First Battle of Ypres D) The Battle of Tannenberg Answer: B
- Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare on 1 February 1917. What was the most important consequence for the war? A) The British blockade of Germany was lifted B) It contributed directly to the entry of the United States into the war in April 1917 C) The German High Seas Fleet won the Battle of Jutland D) Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk Answer: B
- In Paper 2 Section A part (b), you are asked how far one source supports another. Which approach earns the most marks? A) Deciding which source is biased and rejecting it B) Summarising each source in turn without comparison C) Identifying specific agreements and disagreements, explaining them through provenance, and reaching a judgement on how far D) Explaining which source is longer and more detailed Answer: C
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