Modern History: World War I Notes

Resource Description

Syllabus dot points and related notes

Abstract from the Notes

• The nature of World War I, including:
  1. The outbreak of war in 1914, the Western and Eastern fronts, and why it became the world’s first global conflict
     • Tension & rivalry:
       • Nationalism
       • Imperialism – Germany’s ‘Schlieffen Plan’ & France’s ‘Plan 17’
       • Militarism
       • Alliances
       • 1905-1913 – crises in North Africa & Balkans
     • By 1907 – Alliances formed (sides chosen)
     • 28 June 1914 – Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary (AH) assassinated by Serbian nationalists
     • 29 June 1914 – AH asks Germany to help take down Serbia
     • 5 July 1914 – Germany offers ‘blank cheque’ (help AH at any cost)
     • 23 July 1914 – AH threatens Serbia with war; offers list of demands
     • 24 July 1914 – Russia agrees to help Serbia
     • 25 July 1914 – Serbia agrees to all but 1 of AH’s demands
     • 28 July 1914 – AH declares war on Serbia
     • 30 July 1914 – Russia mobilises à Germany threatens war
     • 1 August 1914 – Germany declares war on Russia à France steps in to aid Russia
     • 3 August 1914 – Germany also declares war on France
     • 4 August 1914 – Germany invades neutral Belgium (Schlieffen Plan) à Britain declares war on Germany