Splendid isolation is the term used to describe the British Diplomatic practice of refraining from entering permanent alliances in the 19th century.
At the beginning of the 20th century Britain had a very large naval army. Germany wanted a navy that could rival Britain's, so they began expanding. Britain felt threatened by this and also expanded. They created the Dreadnought in 1906. Because of the naval race there was tension between Britain and Germany, and Britain turned to some of its former rivals such as France and Russia for support.
Plan XVII was France's counter plan to Germany's Schlieffen Plan. The plan was for France to attack and re-claim Alsace-Lorraine before moving to attack Berlin. Germany would then be caught in between France and Russia and be crushed. Their plan also involved getting military assistance from Britain.
An Armistice is a formal agreement between warring parties to stop fighting. It is not always to end a war, but it can stop hostility so that countries can figure out how to create lasting peace.
June 28th: The Archduke was assasinated in a Bosnian city by a Bosnian Serb nationalist.
July 23rd: Austria-Hungary gave Serbia a 48 hour ultimatum. Serbia didn't agree and instead mobilized troops. Austria-Hungary then declared war on Serbia, who turned to Russia. Russia agreed to help and mobilized troops on the 29th.
August 1st: Germany declared war on Russia and France mobilized.
August 2nd: Germany invaded Belgium in an attempt to get to France.
August 3rd: Germany declared war on France, and Britain told Germany to leave France. Germany ignored Britain, who declared war on Germany on the 4th.
The USA was shipping war materials across the ocean to Britain, expecting to go unharmed because of "freedom of the seas". Germany, however, delcared the waters around Britain a war zone and torpedoed a British ship with 128 Americians on board.
Militarism
Alliances
Nationalism
Imperialism
Anarchy
The Arms Race was a result of growing Nationlisn and Imperlisim. Germany wanted to expand their military power and rival that of Britain's. Britain was threatened and both countries began struggling for the most power. This lead to the Naval Race.
1: Open diplomacy without secret treaties
2: Economic free trade on the seas during war and peace
3: Equal trade conditions
4: Decrease armaments among all nations
5: Adjust colonial claims
6: Evacuation of all Central Powers from Russia and allow it to define its own independence
7: Belgium to be evacuated and restored
8: Return of Alsace-Lorraine region and all French territories
9: Readjust Italian borders
10: Austria-Hungary to be provided an opportunity for self-determination
11: Redraw the borders of the Balkan region creating Roumania, Serbia and Montenegro
12: Creation of a Turkish state with guaranteed free trade in the Dardanelles
13: Creation of an independent Polish state
14: Creation of the League of Nations
Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
The Schlieffen plan was put in place by German General Schlieffen who thought it would grant them a fast victory. The plan included most of the German army focusing on defeating France. It was supposed to be done within 6 weeks, before Russia could join the war. Germany was to go through defensless Belgium and take France by surprise.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand being assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrillo Phillip.
Alsace-Lorraine
France, Russia, and Britain
1906: Austria-Hungary took Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Turks which made Serbia mad, because those states had a large population of Serbs. The annexation also cut off Serbia from the Adriatic sea.
1912: A Balkan league was formed under Serbia's leadership. This league succeded in defeating the Ottoman Turks and Austria-Hungary grew wary.
1913: Another Balkan war broke out, making Serbia a lot larger and eventually leading the the Archduke's assasination.
Serbia, Bulgaria, parts of Greece, Montenegro, and the Ottoman Emipre