The Causes of WW1 and the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam war for IGCSE history
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Treaty of London
Signed between Britain, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Under the treaty, the European powers recognized and guaranteed the independence and neutrality of Belgium and confirmed the independence of the German-speaking part of Luxembourg. Article VII required Belgium to remain perpetually neutral, and by implication committed the signatory powers to guard that neutrality in the event of invasion. -
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Franco-Prussian or Franco-German war or War of 1870
War between France and Germany. France lost and Germany took the important, industrial area of Alsace and Lorraine. -
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Russo-Turkish War
War between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. Russia defeated the Ottoman Empire which resulted in the Treaty of San Stefano. -
Treaty of San Stefano
Treaty that the Russo-Turkish war resulted in. This treaty gave Russia considerable sway over the Balkan area, which Austria-Hungary also desired. -
Dual Alliance formed
This was a defensive alliance between Austria-Hungary and Germany created to prevent war between France or Russia with either Germany or Austria-Hungary. France was a primary concern of Germany's especially after the War of 1879 during which Germany seized the industrial area of Alsace and Lorraine. Austria-Hungary was primarily concerned with Russia in competing for the Balkans, a European peninsula with access to the Mediterranean, Black, Adriatic and Aegean seas. -
Colonisation of Tusnia
Exact date unknown. France gained control of Tusnia, angering Italy which saw Tusnia as a potential colony. This was part of Italy's reason for entering the Triple Alliance. -
Triple Alliance formed
Secret defensive alliance that consisted of Italy, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. Formed in May- exact day unknown. The treaty stated that in the case of France attacking Italy without Italian provocation, Germany and Austria-Hungary would assist Italy.If France attacked Germany no matter the circumstance, Italy would assist Germany (Austria-Hungary was already taken care of in the Dual Alliance.) In the event of war between Austria-Hungary and Russia, Italy was to remain neutral. -
Triple Alliance renewal 1
The Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) was renewed. This renewal ensured German support in the case of Italian colonial expeditions in Northern Africa in return for the cooperation of Italy in the alliance. German chancellor, Otto von Bismark, pressured Austria-Hungary and Italy into conferring before territorial changes made in the Balkans or the Adriatic and Aegean seas by either of them. The exact day of the renewal is unknown. -
Franco-Russian Military Concention
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Schlieffen Plan- creating and editing
Exact dates unknown. The plan was originally created by Count Alfred von Schlieffen in 1897 and was edited over the next eight years until von Schlieffen retired and the plan was then edited again in 1906 by Helmuth von Moltke. This plan was considered preemtive war -
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What was the Schlieffen Plan?
Exact dates unknown. The German army would go through Belguim and attack towards the centre of France, taking over Paris, while another set of troops would attack directly through the German/France boarder. The French would be preoccupied with the attack on the boarder and not suspect another attack coming from Belguim. Since war with Russia was extremely likely, the troops would board trains that would take them East so that they could launch an attack on the Russians before they could mobilize -
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Arms race on land
Precise start date unknown. Before and the Anglo-German naval rivalry, the major powers on land were building up their armies. By the end of this arms race, France had 0.9m, Britain 0.5m, Russia 0.8m, Austria-Hungary 0.35, Germany 1.5m, and Italy 0.35 m troops. (m stands for million) -
Triple Alliance renewal 2
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Italy and France pact
Italy reached an understanding with France that each would remain neutral in the event of an attack on the other. This entente nullified Italy’s pledges to the other members of the Triple Alliance. (Encyclopaedia Britannica) -
Entente Cordiale
Entente Cordiale between France and Britain and against Germany was formed. France recognized British control over Egypt, while Britain reciprocated regarding France in Morocco. France gave up its exclusive fishery rights on the French Shore of Newfoundland and in return received an indemnity and territory in The Gambia (Senegal) and Nigeria. Britain acknowledged the French customs régime in Madagascar. The respective spheres of influence were defined in Siam (Thailand). (Wikipedia) -
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First Moroccan Crisis
Exact dates unknown. Kaiser Wilhem wished to show that Germany was an important power in Africa as well as Europe and desired Morocco as a colony. However, the French had plans to take over Morocco as well. To prevent a French invasion of Morocco, The Kaiser made a speech supporting Morocco's independence. To appease the French, an international conference to discuss the Kaiser's actions and to decide what was to be done, and international conference was held in Algeciras in 1906. -
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International conference in Algeciras
Germany's only supporter was Austria-Hungary. Britain, Italy, Russia, and the United states backed up France. The Act of Algeciras, signed on April 7, 1906, appeared to limit French penetration. It reaffirmed the independence of the sultan and the economic equality of the powers, and it provided that French and Spanish police officers be under a Swiss inspector general. (Encyclopaedia Britannica) -
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Anglo-German Naval Race
Britain launched a ship name the Dreadnought. It was the first of it's kind as well as the most powerful ship in the world. Germany, not wanting to be backed down, especially after its failure in the international conference, proceeded to produce a "Dreadnought" of her own. The arms race ended at the start of the first world war. By this point, Germany had built 17 Dreadnoughts and Britain had built 29. -
Triple Alliance renewal 3
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Anglo-Russian Entente formed
Agreement between Russia and Britain solidifying boundaries that identified respective control in Persia, Afghanistan, and Tibet. (Wikipedia) This was the pact that completed the Triple Entente, the opposing "team" to the Triple Alliance/Central Powers. -
First Balkan Crisis
Exact date unknown. Austria took over the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Russia and Serbia protested since they were both interested in the area because it could give them access to the Mediterranean. However, Germany supported Austria-Hungary and so Russia and Serbia backed down as neither were willing to go to war with Germany. Russia then quickened its arms build-up so in the case of another crisis it would not have to back down again. -
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Second Moroccan Crisis
Exact end day unknown. The French tried to take over Morocco again, claiming that they would compensate Germany if their trade suffered as a result of this. In response, Germany sent a gunboat named the Panther to Morocco's capital, Agadir. The British and French had no desire to start a war with Germany, but Britain was concerned that Germany wanted to set up a naval base in Agadir which would threaten Britain's naval power and potentially Britain's African Empire. Another conference was called -
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Conference in Agadir
Exact end date unknown. Britain and France decided that France would take control of Morocco and the Germany would recieve a small, malaria infested swamp as compensation. This further humiliated Kaiser Wilhem. An agreement between France a Britain was reached secretly- France would patrol the Mediterranean sea and the Royal Nacy would defent France's Atlantic and North Coasts against Germany. -
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First Balkan War
The four Balkan states, Greece, Montnegro, Bulgaria, and Serbia, fought against the Ottoman empire As a result of the war, almost all remaining European territories of the Ottoman Empire were captured and partitioned among the allies. Ensuing events also led to the creation of an independent Albanian state. Despite its success, Bulgaria was dissatisfied over the division of the spoils in Macedonia, which provoked the start of the Second Balkan War. (Wikipedia) -
Triple Alliance renewal 4
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Second Ballkan War
Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked Serbia and Greece. Serbian and Greek armies repulsed the Bulgarian offensive and attacked, entering Bulgaria. With Bulgaria also having engaged in territorial disputes with Romania, this war provoked Romanian intervention against Bulgaria. The Ottoman Empire used the situation to regain territories from the previous war. When Romanian troops came to the capital Sofia, Bulgaria asked for an armistice (Wikipedia) -
Serbia becomes the most powerful force in the Balkans
After both of the Balkan wars, Serbia became the strongest power in the Balkans- concerning Austria because Serbia not only had a strong army but was also a close ally of Russia. Austria decided that in order to gain control of the Balkans, Serbia would first have to be crushed. -
Murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophie of Austria-Hungary in Sarajevo
Gavrilo Princip, acting under the Black Hand, assassinated Franz Ferdinand and his wife. The Black Hand was a group of Serbs that wanted Bosnia to gain independence from Austria-Hungary and that had set out to murder the archduke. Since the nationality of the terrorist group was Serbian (even though Serbia itself was never actually linked with the incident), Austria used the assassination as an excuse to give Serbia an ultimatum. -
Ultimatum
To see the ultimatum, click here.Austria officially blames Serbia for the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and issues Serbia an ultimatum that would essentially make Serbia a part of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. If Serbia refused this, Austria would declare war on Serbia. This ultimatum was supposed to take care of Serbia as the most powerful state in the Balkans as far as Austria was concerned. -
Serbia accepts ultimatum- partially
July 25, Serbian Prime Minister Nicola Pasic delivered the Serbian answer to the ultimatum to Gieslingen at the Austrian embassy, just before the 6 p.m. deadline. Serbia's response accepted all terms of the ultimatum but one: it would not accept Austria-Hungary's participation in any internal inquiry, stating that this would be a violation of the Constitution and of the law of criminal procedure. (History.com) -
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia
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Russia gets involved
Russia began to get its army ready to help Serbia defend itself against Austria-Hungary. Russia had a long-standing relationship with Serbia as well as the Serbs in the Austria-Hungarian empire. (The Serbs in the south of Austria wanted to join the state of Serbia) Germany then warns Russia to stay out of the situation between Austria and Serbia. -
Germany declares war on Russia
And moves its army closer to France and Belgium, initiating the Schlieffen plan -
Germany declares war on France
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Germany declares war on France.... and invades Belgium
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Britain declares war on Germany
With Germany still in Belgium, Britain declares war on Germany -
Austria declares war on Russia
With Russia backing up Serbia, Austria declares war on Russia. -
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Yalta Conference
The leaders of Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Franklin Roosevelt met up in Yalta to discuss what would happen to Europe after Germany's imminent surrender. It was decided that Germany and its capital, Berlin, would be split up into four parts between France, Britain, America, and the USSR, all Nazis that had taken part in the horrors of the Holocaust would be hunted down and punished, Germany would undergo disarmament, in 90 days of Germany's defeat the USSR would help the US defeat Japan