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Causes of World War I - Coggle Diagram

- - - - The annexation of Alsace-Lorraine worsens Franco-German relations, fuelling nationalism in both nations and spreading Germanophobia.
    - - Germany moved away from Bismarck's isolationism into a Wilhelmine Era of Weltpolitik, 'world politics', that sought to see Germany's 'place in the sun' as a global power.
        
        The pursuit of ‘Weltpolitik’ generated many tensions in Europe, and many countries feared a European conflict as a result of it. Germany allowed its 1887 treaty with Russia to expire, and because of the nation’s aggressive diplomacy, Russia allied itself with France. This created another rival alliance, and therefore increasing the risk of an escalated war.
      - The country was left in the hands of a nationalist cursed with impatience and recklessness. He desired a greater Germany, one with colonies in multiple continents and protected by a vast army and a powerful navy.
    - - Significance: Puts Germany in a powerful position at the start of the war, leads to arms-race and clashes over imperialism.
  - - - In 1908 Lloyd George told the German ambassador that British antagonism was caused by fear of the German navy, but the Kaiser was more interested in building his fleet than having good relations with Britain.
    - - France introduced the 'Three Year Law' in 1913 - raising mandatory military service from two to three years.
    - - The laws gradually increased the size and power of the German navy, and gave way to the naval arms race between Germany and Britain that created tensions in Europe due to the two countries’ ever-worsening relationship.
    - - The launch of the British Dreadnought in 1906 threw fuel onto the already raging fire of the Anglo-German naval arms race. During the heightened tensions of the Russo-Japanese War, rumours spread that Britain, Japan's ally, would attack, and the German ambassador to Britain had to reassure the Kaiser that Britain did not intend to start a war. As fears of conflict rose, so did nationalist sentiment, causing tensions to increase.
  - - - This alliance made the prospect of a global war far more likely, as it would have escalated a conflict that could have been resolved by any one of the three nations to a war involving many of the central powers of Europe, also increasing the likelihood of the other major European powers joining the fight.
    - - Though each country had its own individual reasons for the alliance, they all shared a fear of Germany's growing power in Europe. The new political landscape of Europe, with the opposing alliances of The Triple Entente and The Triple Alliance, was a direct cause of the First World War, as any conflict in the Balkans would be scaled up to a conflict between two groups of very powerful nations spread across Europe, some with alliances that would rope in countries from across the world such as Japan. (Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902)
  - - - By establishing their influence in African countries, larger powers gain access to the resources found there: diamond, sugar, gold, iron, copper and petroleum.
  - - - This enhanced the military abilities of the major European powers, as well as putting the nations into direct competition with each other.
      - Military technology could be produced on a much larger scale at a much faster rate, setting the stage for global war.
- - - - The Russians, through their navy, also wanted to expand into the Balkans and capture and control the Bosphorus, which allowed shipping access to the Mediterranean.
  - - - Statistic: By 1913 all of the Ottoman territory in the east had been claimed by Bulgaria. Serbia had greatly expanded its territory, both proving themselves militarily and demonstrating the ambitions of the country