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First Moroccan Crisis
Under the Entente Cordiale, Britain recognised France’s claim to Morocco. The Germans wished to break up the Entente Cordiale when Kaiser Wilhelm visited Morocco to discuss its independence to French ruling. Britain and France were angry over Germany’s interference. The Great Powers held a conference to deal with the crisis resulting in Britain and France becoming close allies -
Second Moroccan Crisis - Agadir Crisis
A few Moroccans rebelled against French control which lead to the French sending troops to but down the rebellion. Germany interfered by sending a warship to the Moroccan port of Agadir. The British responded by preparing for war against Germany. Germany withdraw the warship, hence preventing the outbreak of war. The Agadir Crisis resulted in tensions being heightened throughout Europe -
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The Balkans
The leaders of Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro and Greece decided to ‘push’ Turkey out of the Balkans. They are successful, however war broke out in the Balkan states as each nation quarrelled over new boundaries. Great powers intervened and settled the dispute but Serbia was furious. They did not get the territory they wanted to form a new Slav nation. Tempers ran high in the Balkans -
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Known as the catalyst for the outbreak of WW1, this was a significant event that cause tensions to erupt within Europe. The assassin was a Bosnian National who made Austria present a series of demands to be met by Serbia or threatened with war. -
Austria declares war on Serbia
Serbia met most of the demands but Austria was not satisfied. Austria declares war on Serbia but Serbia asks Russia for help, as Russia is the biggest of the Slav nations. Russia mobilised, however Germany, in alliance with Austria declare war on Russia. -
Germany Declares War!
Germany declare war on Russia. However, since Germany did not want to fight a war on 2 fronts, they declared war on France, initiating the Schlieffen plan which also involved invading Belgium. -
Britian Declares War
Britain declares war on Germany, as they were in Belgium at the time. Therefore the British Empire is at war. This date is considered the date that started WW1.