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Britain and WWI (Why Britain joined the war? (Treaty of London 1839 and…
Britain and WWI
Why Britain joined the war?
Till late 19th century, Britain practiced Splendid Isolation
Britain-India most vital to British interests
Strong imperial rivalry between Britain and France over colonies in North Africa
Britain wary of Russian interests in Dardanelles that was controlled by Turkey. Britain supported Turkey against Russia as Mediterranean was a vital British-India trade route
With rise of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany began build up of arms. France and Russia did the same.
By 1907, it became clear to Britain that only Germany with its resources and population could dominate Europe. To maintain balance of power in Europe, Britain joined Triple Entente
Treaty of London 1839 and duty to protect Belgium
German plan to attack France through Belgium
Britain could not ignore defence of Belgium as its ports lay close to British ports and made it vulnerable
Germany wanted Britain to ignore Treaty of London but Britain refused and declared war on Germany when it attacked France through Belgium
British interests in Iran
Anglo-Iranian company in Iran fueled British Navy
Oil wells in Iran were eyed by Germany
As Ottomans joined the war, the need to defend Suez and Persian oilfields became paramount
Why war broke out?
1879: Germany and Austria-Hungary Alliance aka Dual Alliance
1900s: Italy joins the Dual Alliance and makes it Triple Alliance
1892: France and Russia alliance aka Dual Entente
1907: Britain joined Russia and France to make it Triple Entente
Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand by Serbs in 1914
Austria declared war on Serbs
Russia declared war on Austria to protect Serbs
Germany went in to help Austria
France declared war on Germany
Germany planned to take on France through Belgium (Schlieffen Plan) that brought in Britain.