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What was the impact of Weltpolitik on international relations?

What was the impact of Weltpolitik on international relations?. Recap quiz. What was Weltpolitik ? Whose idea was it? What were the aims? What effect did it have inside Germany? What response did it provoke from other countries? . Drift towards alliances.

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What was the impact of Weltpolitik on international relations?

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  1. What was the impact of Weltpolitik on international relations?

  2. Recap quiz • What was Weltpolitik? • Whose idea was it? • What were the aims? • What effect did it have inside Germany? • What response did it provoke from other countries?

  3. Drift towards alliances • 1879 Dual Alliance (Germany and Austro-Hungary) • 1882 Triple Alliance (Germany, Austro-Hungary, Italy) • 1894 Franco-Russian Alliance • 1902 Anglo-Japanese Alliance • 1904 Entente Cordiale (Britain and France) • 1907 Triple Entente (France, Russia, Britain)

  4. The Alliances in 1914

  5. What problems will Germany have in the event of a war?

  6. A British comment in 1904 on the newly-formed Entente Cordiale

  7. Germany’s General Moltke, 1911 “It may safely be assumed that the next war will be a war on two fronts. Of our two enemies, France is the most dangerous and can prepare the most quickly….”

  8. This is General Von Schlieffen

  9. The Schlieffen Plan • In 1914 Germany was worried that war with France was extremely likely. If war broke out Russia would aid her ally. • Germany wanted to avoid a war on 2 fronts!

  10. Your task: to advise the general on a military plan for how the German army can fight Russia and France and beat them BOTH

  11. what action should Germany take? • IDEAS: • Split army? Why? Why not? • Attack one country first? Why? Why not?

  12. Things to Consider • Germany shares a border with France and Russia • You are worried about fighting both at the same time • Russia has a large army but may take a long time to mobilise (get her army ready) • The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland are neutral (not on either side) • Great Britain has promised to defend Belgium if attacked • Switzerland is very mountainous but Belgium is flat • France has built fortifications along the border with you.

  13. The Plan • Germany would act first and attack France quickly, defeat her and then turn to attack Russia. • Von Schlieffen believed that if France was attacked quickly they would surrender before Russia had had a chance to attack Germany. • The plan was to attack France through Belgium with 90% of Germany’s army would be used to defeat France while the remaining 10% would defend against Russian attack

  14. Problems with the Schlieffen Plan • No plan to fight a war against Russia only. Germany had to attack France first • It was assumed Belgium would not resist • It was assumed Britain would remain neutral • It was assumed Russia would take 6 weeks to organise itself • It was assumed France would be easily defeated.

  15. What was France’s plan? What was Britain’s plan?

  16. Did war plans make war more likely? • “The war came about mainly because of railway timetables” A.J.P. Taylor

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