World War I: Events Leading To The Outbreak Of War | History Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

Timeline of Key Events Leading to World War I

Division of Europe into Armed Camps: 

• 1882:  Formation of the Triple Alliance among Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
• 1894:  Alliance between France and Russia.
• 1904:  Britain and France establish the ‘Entente Cordiale.’
• 1907:  Agreement between Britain and Russia.

Other Significant Events:

• 1897:  Admiral Tirpitz’s Navy Law indicates Germany's intention to build up its fleet.
• 1902:  Alliance between Britain and Japan.
• 1904-1905:  Russo-Japanese War, won by Japan.
• 1905-1906:  Moroccan Crisis.
• 1906:  Britain constructs the first ‘Dreadnought’ battleship.
• 1908:  Bosnia Crisis.
• 1911:  Agadir Crisis.
• 1912:  First Balkan War.
• 1913:  Second Balkan War.

Outbreak of World War I:

• 28 June 1914:  Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo.
• 28 July 1914:  Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia.
• 29 July 1914:  Russia orders general mobilization of troops.
• 1 August 1914:  Germany declares war on Russia.
• 3 August 1914:  Germany declares war on France.
• 4 August 1914:  Britain enters the war.
• 6 August 1914:  Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia.

Events Leading to the Outbreak of War 

Germany asserted its right to engage in global politics on equal footing with other major powers, leading to periodic tensions between the Triple Entente and the Central Powers. 

First Moroccan Crisis (1905-06):

• Germany aimed to expand its empire and test the Anglo-French 'Entente Cordiale' (1904), which involved France recognizing Britain's position in Egypt in exchange for British approval of a potential French takeover of Morocco.
• France had started to implement economic reforms and penetrate Morocco, prompting Germany's concern as it was not consulted on the matter.
• Germany, feeling slighted and concerned about its interests in Morocco, announced its intention to support the Sultan of Morocco to maintain his country's independence, warning France that no European power had special rights in Morocco.

Algeciras Conference (January 1906):

• Germany called for an international conference to discuss Morocco's future, leading to the Algeciras Conference.
• The conference agreed to maintain Morocco's territorial integrity and adopt an "open door" policy, granting France and Spain limited rights to police Morocco.
• The British opposed German influence in Morocco, viewing it as a step towards German diplomatic domination and an encouragement of their Weltpolitik (World Politics).
• The British, having recently signed the 'Entente Cordiale' with France, were determined to oppose Germany at the conference.
• Contrary to German expectations, most powers except Austria-Hungary supported French control over the Moroccan bank and police, marking a victory for France and a diplomatic defeat for Germany.

The British Agreement with Russia (1907):

• The agreement between Britain and Russia in 1907 was perceived by Germany as another hostile move, although it was a logical step given Russia's alliance with France in 1894. 
•  Despite past tensions, the British view of Russia softened due to various factors, including Russia's military weakening after the war with Japan and the internal upheaval following the 1905 revolution. 
•  The agreement, which settled remaining differences in Persia, Afghanistan, and Tibet, was not a military alliance or explicitly anti-German but reinforced German fears of being encircled by Britain, France, and Russia. 

First Balkan Crisis: The Bosnian Crisis (1908) 

•  The Bosnian Crisis of 1908 heightened tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia over the fate of Bosnia, a province under Turkish control. 
•  Initially, the 1878 Congress of Berlin had decided that Bosnia would remain part of Turkey but be administered by Austria-Hungary. 
•  In 1908, the Young Turks, a new Turkish government, sought to reassert control over Bosnia, prompting Austria-Hungary to preemptively annex the province. 
•  This move antagonized Serbia, which had its own ambitions for Bosnia due to its significant Serbian population. 
•  Serbia turned to Russia for support, but when Germany backed Austria-Hungary, other powers like France and Britain withdrew their support for Serbia. 
•  As a result, Austria-Hungary maintained control over Bosnia, strengthening the Austro-German alliance but deepening Serbian resentment. 
•  This crisis set the stage for future conflicts, as Serbia vowed to prepare for potential future support requests from Russia. 

Second Moroccan Crisis: The Agadir Crisis (1911)

•  In Morocco, the situation deteriorated as unruly elements, emboldened by German support, increased lawlessness and targeted European foreigners. 
•  France intervened to restore order, deploying troops to Morocco, which sparked resentment from Germany. 
•  A Franco-German Convention in 1909 aimed to balance interests in Morocco but left Germany dissatisfied as France tightened its grip on the region. 
•  In 1911, following a tribal uprising in Fez, Morocco, France occupied the city to quell the rebellion, creating the impression of imminent annexation. 
•  In response, Germany sent the gunboat Panther to Agadir, seeking to pressure France into concessions, potentially involving the French Congo. 
•  The British, concerned about German expansion in Agadir and its implications for their trade routes, supported France. 
•  British Chancellor Lloyd George emphasized Britain’s commitment to protecting its interests, reinforcing support for France against German pressure. 
•  Ultimately, the French stood firm, and the German gunboat withdrew. 
•  Germany recognized the French protectorate over Morocco in exchange for territorial concessions in the French Congo. 

 Significance of Agadir Incident: 

• The Agadir incident was perceived as a victory for the Entente powers, bolstering the Triple Entente and intensifying French animosity towards Germany.
•  France viewed the territorial concession in the Congo as extorted blackmail, deepening anti-German sentiments. 
• Germany felt its legitimate interests in Morocco had been compromised, fueling anti-British sentiment, particularly in light of the naval arms race where Britain was gaining the upper hand. 
• The Agadir incident foreshadowed the tensions that would lead to World War I, highlighting the growing rift between the powers. 

The First Balkan War (1912) 

• The First Balkan War started in 1912 and it arose chiefly out of Turkish misrule in Macedonia. The Berlin Settlement had restored Macedonia to the Ottoman Empire but it did not prevent Turkish misrule there.
• The war began when Serbia, Greece, Montenegro and Bulgaria (calling themselves the Balkan League) launched a series of attacks on Turkey to oust them from Europe. 
  • These countries had all, at one time, been part of the Turkish (Ottoman) Empire. Now that Turkey was weak (regarded by the other powers as ‘the Sick Man of Europe’), they seized their chance to acquire more land at Turkey’s expense. 
  • They soon captured most of the remaining Turkish territory in Europe. 
• The Balkan League was soon victorious. 
• Together with the German government, Sir Edward Grey, the British Foreign Secretary, arranged a peace conference in London (Treaty of London, 1913). He was anxious to avoid the conflict spreading, and also to demonstrate that Britain and Germany could still work together. The resulting settlement divided up the former Turkish lands among the Balkan states. 
• However, the Serbs were not happy with their gains: they wanted Albania, which would give them an outlet to the sea, but the Austrians, with German and British support, insisted that Albania should become an independent state. This was a deliberate Austrian move to prevent Serbia becoming more powerful. 

 The Second Balkan War (1913) 

•  Bulgaria's Discontent:  After the First Balkan War, Bulgaria was unhappy with its territorial gains, particularly blaming Serbia for not receiving the expected share of Macedonia.
•  Attack on Serbia:  In its frustration, Bulgaria launched an attack on Serbia. However, the plan backfired when Greece, Romania, and Turkey sided with Serbia.
•  Defeat and Treaty of Bucharest:  Bulgaria was defeated in this conflict, and the Treaty of Bucharest (1913) forced it to give up most of its earlier gains.
•  Influence of Great Powers:  Initially, it seemed that Anglo-German influence had prevented a larger war by restraining Austria-Hungary, which was eager to support Bulgaria against Serbia.
• However, the aftermath of the Balkan wars had serious implications.
•  Territorial Changes:  The wars effectively dissolved the Turkish Empire in Europe and expanded the territories of Christian kingdoms in the Balkan Peninsula.
•  Rise of National Rivalries:  The Second Balkan War intensified national rivalries among the Balkan states. Bulgaria, in particular, harbored deep resentment, which later drove it to join the Central Powers in World War I.
•  Russia's Role:  Russia reemerged as a protector of the Balkan states, this time against Austria-Hungary rather than Turkey. The victories of Serbia and Greece, along with their territorial gains in Macedonia and Salonika, blocked Austrian expansion into the Aegean and significantly increased Serbian power and prestige.
•  Austrian Concerns:  Austria-Hungary became increasingly worried about the growing Slavic nationalism and viewed Serbia as a threat to its stability. The Austrians feared that Serbia's influence would undermine the loyalty of their Slavic subjects.
•  Serbian Response:  In response, Serbia intensified its anti-Austrian propaganda and sought to undermine Austrian authority among its Slavic subjects. This escalating tension between Austria and Serbia set the stage for the outbreak of World War I.
•  German Interests:  Germany also had a vested interest in weakening Serbia, as a strong Serbian state threatened the Berlin-Baghdad Railway project, which relied on Serbian control of key railways.
•  Austrian Ultimatum to Serbia:  After the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June 1914, Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia and issued a harsh ultimatum, demanding its acceptance within 48 hours.
•  Diplomatic Efforts:  Russia, England, and France attempted to persuade Austria to extend the ultimatum's deadline, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Serbia accepted most of the demands but rejected those that violated its sovereignty, offering to refer the disputed issues to the Hague Tribunal or a conference of Great Powers.

•  Austria's Stance:  With German support, Austria was not satisfied with Serbia's response and decided to use the incident as a pretext for war. This drew Russia into the conflict, as she felt a duty to protect Serbia, a fellow Slavic nation.
•  Escalation to War:  Russia declared the Balkan issue a European concern, while Austria insisted it was a matter between itself and Serbia. Most of Europe, including Germany, viewed Serbia's response as reasonable, with Kaiser Wilhelm believing there was no justification for war. However, when Russia mobilized against Austria, Germany was obliged to support its ally under the Triple Alliance. Germany's declaration of war against Russia also meant war with France due to the Dual Alliance.
•  Outbreak of World War I:  Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914. Russia ordered a general mobilization against Austria on July 29, prompting Germany to demand the cancellation of Russian mobilization on July 31. When Russia failed to comply, Germany declared war on Russia on August 1, and on France on August 3. Germany's invasion of Belgium en route to France led Britain to declare war on Germany on August 4, due to its obligations to defend Belgian neutrality. Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia on August 6, and other countries joined the conflict later.
•  Reasons for Britain's Entry:  Britain had initially sought to maintain peace. However, Germany's violation of Belgian neutrality by invading Belgium, a principle upheld by powers including Prussia, compelled Britain to declare war on Germany. Additionally, Britain's long-standing foreign policy of maintaining the integrity of the Low Countries (Holland and Belgium) to prevent hostile attacks from the opposite shore contributed to its decision. Italy, although a member of the Triple Alliance, announced its neutrality, arguing that its allies were not engaged in a defensive war. 
•  Impact of the War:  The war was poised to have profound effects on the future of the world. Germany's dominance in Europe was soon to be challenged, and Europe itself would never fully reclaim its preeminence on the global stage.