The World Before 1914:

The Age of Empires

The Great Powers Before 1914

The great powers were: Germany (pre-1871 as Prussia) Great Britain France Russian Empire Austria-Hungary (pre-1867 as the Habsburg Empire)

These great powers had peacefully co-existed for approximately 100 years

The great powers operated under the idea that if they maintained balance in political and military strength that the likelihood of any nation embarking on a military path would be reduced.

The Great Powers Before 1914 Germany was formed in 1871 by combining

many states and principalities including Prussia, Hanover and Bavaria.

This new larger power spelt the end of the ‘balance of power’ in Europe.

As a result new alliances and agreements were formed becoming the favoured instruments of European foreign policymakers for the next forty years.

Europe in the 19th Century

Europe Today

Germany

The unification of Germany had created a European nation of almost unrivalled potential.

Twenty-two central European states, kingdoms or principalities had been joined into a single and powerful federation.

Prussia was the largest of these and its King, Wilhelm I, became the new Emperor – or Kaiser – of Germany.

Germany had an elected parliament – a Reichstag – which agreed the budget, but the main powers of government such as the control of foreign policy, all ministerial appointments and control over the armed forces rested with the Kaiser.

The Chancellor, the German Prime Minister, held the key position of intermediary between the Reichstag and the Kaiser.

Germany Germany’s population increased dramatically

in the forty years following federation. Population in 1871 was 40 million Population in 1910 was 65 million Positive and negative impacts for industrial

and agricultural ambitions. By the start of World War One, Germany was

the greatest economic power on the continent and the forefront of the new industrial revolution, particularly in the chemical and electrical sectors.

Germany The new Germany was both wealthy and

proud. Became increasingly ambitious Prussian military culture dominated thinking. By 1900 Germany boasted one of Europe’s

largest and most efficient armies To become a world power it needed to

compete with the British empire. For this it needed a great navy.

Great Britain By 1900 Britain was an urbanised,

industrialised powerhouse. It manufactured and exported goods to all

corners of the globe and its empire. Its empire included:

India Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies Hong Kong Kenya

Great Britain It was the wealthiest nation on Earth but it was also

a small island that depended on huge quantities of imported raw materials from its colonies.

It maintained its power by controlling the world’s seas and oceans.

Population grew throughout the 19th century 1801 – 11 million people 1910 – 40 million people

Britain was a liberal democracy that operated with a constitutional democracy.

The Queen’s power was limited and the responsibility for government rested in the two Houses of Parliament, the Commons and the Lords.

Great Britain By 1900 every man had the vote and

elections were held every seven years for the House of Commons. The Prime Minister came from whichever party commanded a majority in the House of Commons.

It’s focus in 1900 was on exploiting the benefits of its vast empire by maintaining its own supremacy at sea.

From 1890 Britain embarked on a naval arms race.

France By 1900 France was one of the most powerful

industrial nations in earth but it still lagged far behind its neighbours, Germany and Britain.

Population was also significantly smaller 1801 – 27 million people 1910 – 35 million people

They gained a large amount of their power from colonies in Africa and Asia.

1870 lost Franco-Prussian War Conceded provinces of Alsace and Lorraine Conceded cities of Strasbourg and Metz Required to pay heavy reparations to the new Germany

France The loss resulted in a shift of the balance of

power in Europe In response to this there was significant

political change in France with the establishment of the Third Republic. This contained a President, Prime Minister, a

Senate House and an elected Chamber of Deputies.

Conscription was introduced and the Third Republic began to seek new alliances

Suspicion, hatred and dreams of revenge against Germany hung thick in the air.

Russian Empire The Russian Empire covered over one-sixth of the

world’s land surface area. It was an autocracy, a government under the absolute

rule and command of one man – the Tsar Tsar Nicholas II ascended to the throne in 1894 and

ruled a complex and disparate empire of over 160 million people from dozens of nationalities and ethnic groups.

He ruled by divine right – the medieval notion that God had placed him on Earth to rule and as a consequence on God could remove him.

He governed through an inefficient and huge bureaucracy with the support of the military and a secret police – the Okhrana.

Russian Empire From 1900 revolutionaries began to emerge

and organise themselves both inside Russia and in exile.

Russia lagged far behind its western European counterparts in terms of both economic and social development, with famine a regular and tragic occurrence.

However the sheer size of its population made it a worrying adversary and a welcomed ally.

Austria-Hungary The Habsburg family had spent centuries

creating an empire out of the vast territories of central Europe.

A multitude of races including Germans, Magyars, Czechs, Slavs and Poles had been welded together and its cohesion depended upon the power and personality of its Emperor.

Franz Joseph I succeed to the throne of Austria in 1848 and spent most of his reign struggling against the forces of nationalism.

In 1867 he formed the Dual Monarchy giving equal status to the kingdoms of both Hungary and Austria.

Austria-Hungary Each kingdom had two Houses of Parliament

and had daily authority over most state affairs but overall political authority, including foreign policy, still rested with the Emperor.

Overall 50 million people, speaking fifteen different languages, made their home within the borders of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Other Powers The other powers at the time are:

Italy Had also been formed out of a collection of states and kingdoms By 1900 Italy was thirty years old, however, it failed to unify its

people and there was a great disparity in wealth between the north and south.

The Roman Catholic Church was still highly influential and powerful during this time. However during the unification they lost land and as a result did not support the new government.

Ottoman Empire Had centred in Turkey and dominated large tracts of eastern Europe

and the Middle East since the fourteenth century. By 1900 the empire had been in decline for at least 100 years.

During the 19th century it had lost Greece from its empire and was forced to abandon claims over Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria and Cyprus.

Japan United States

The Alliance System This is thought of as one of the causes of World War I An alliances is a formal political, military or economic

agreement signed by two or more nations. Alliances are binding under international law, though

they are frequently annulled or broken. Many alliances require signatory nations to provide

support to other signatory nations in the event of war with an enemy power.

This support may range from financial or logistic backing, such as the supply of materials or weapons, to military support or even a full declaration of war.

Alliances may also contain economic conditions, such as trade agreements or investment.

The Tangle of Alliances 1873: The Three Emperors League

Three-way alliance between the ruling monarchs of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia

Tied Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia to each other’s aid in the time of war.

Aimed at securing the balance of power in Europe Disorder in the Balkans and the Ottoman Empire undermined

Russia’s commitment to the league, which proved very unstable.

In 1878 Russia withdraws from the Three Emperors League 1879: The Dual Alliance

A binding military alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary

The treaty required both nations to support the other if it was attacked by Russia or if Russia supported another nation.

The Tangle of Alliances 1882: The Triple

Alliance A complex three-way

alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy.

Each signatory was committed to provide military support to the others if they were attacked by two other powers – or if Germany and Italy were attacked by France.

Italy was viewed as the weaker partner in this alliance

Tangle of Alliances 1887: Reinsurance Treaty

Made between Germany and Russia Document stated that both powers would remain

neutral if either were involved in war with a third power (be it offensive or defensive).

However should the third power transpire to be France, Russia would not be obliged to provide assistance to Germany (as was the case of Germany if Russia found itself at war with Austria-Hungary).

It was allowed to lapse after three years.

Tangle of Alliances 1894: The Franco-Russian Alliance:

A military alliance between France and Russia that restored cordial relations between the two.

This agreement also undermined the increasing power of Germany and allowed French capitalists to invest in Russian mining and industry, providing economic benefits to both nations.

1902: Britain & Japan Britain signs into a military alliance with Japan

1904: The Entente Cordiale Meaning ‘friendly agreement’, this series of agreements between

Britain and France ended a century of hostility between the cross-channel neighbours.

It also resolved some colonial disagreements and other petty but lingering disputes.

It was not a military alliances so either nation was obliged to provide military support for the other.

Tangle of Alliances 1907: The Anglo-Russian Entente

An agreement between Britain and Russia which, like the Entente Cordiale, eased long-standing tensions between the two.

It also resolved disagreements over colonial possessions in the Middle East and Asia

It did not involve any military commitment or support

1907: The Triple Entente This treaty consolidated the Entente Cordial and

the Anglo-Russian Entente into a three-way agreement, securing amicable relations between Britain, France and Russia.

Tangle of Alliances

Balance of Power Politicians at the time called this system of

alliances the ‘Balance of Power’. They believed that the size and power of the two alliances would prevent either side from starting a war.