Militarism
What spurred the modernization of the Japanese army after the arrival of Mathew Petty's "Black Ships"?
The Meiji restoration introduced powerful reforms to the military.
True or False?
"The rise of Germany in central Europe aroused fear and encouraged the growth of alliances."
True
Under which administration was Bosnia and Herezgovinia placed after the Balkan War?
Austria-Hungary
Define Jingoism.
Hightened sense of patriotism as a result of imperealistic success.
What was the final straw and often seen as the most obvious (but not neccasrily most profound) cause of the war? Also explain what does it have to do with nationalism.
The assasination of Archduke Ferdinand by Princip Gavrilo. Gavrilo was a Serbian nationalist that opposed the Austra-Hungarian rule. This offered Austria-Hungary an ideal opportunity to rouse public opinion in support of a war that aimed to weaken the drive for self-determination in the Balkans.
What was "the German Question"? Make specific references to the military.
The German Question was a growing fear amongst European nations at the great military prowess of Germany. Germany's population grew faster than any other European nation, their steel output was the highest, and German's naval expansion made it acquire the second most powerful fleet after Britain.
Who gave Austria-Hungary "the blank cheque" in case of a war with Serbia?
Germany
Why was the Balkan War a factor in WW1?
The Balkan War resulted in a larger Serbia that pushed for the union of South Slavic peoples. Slav nationalism!
What was the outcome in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95?
Japanese defeated China, positioning itself as the world power with an empire.
Was there any proof that Gavrilo was acting on the behalf of the Serbian government?
None.
What were the implications of the Sino-Japanese War?
Firstly, it resulted in the Treaty of Shimonoseki; Japan acquired Pescadores islands, Formosa, and the Liadong Peninsula. Korea was given independence, but had to pay tribute to China as well as open up their ports and negotiating a formal treaty. France, Germany and Russia committed to the Triple Intervention act, where they stepped in and used their status and power to force China to give up some of the won territory for themselves. This reemphasized the idea that Japan needed a stronger military in order to avoid getting bullied by bigger Western nations.
True or False:
"France's decision to support Russia in the July Crisis was designed to deter Austria-Hungary, meanwhile German's decision to support Austria-Hungary aimed to provoke."
True
What was the role of political instability in China in regards to Japan's nationalism?
Japan did not want to be like China, to be a semi-colonial state bowing down to European powers (Matthew Perry Black ships and Opium wars in China).They did not want gun-boat diplomacy, but wanted to be seen as equals.
What was Italy promised in return for fighting in WW1?
Italy was promised major territory gains by the Entente in the Treaty of London (large portion of Austria-Hungary, to the north of Italy).
What military plans were drafted by Germany in response to the Franco-Russian alliance? What about the other side?
The German army had to plan for a 2 front war. In 1905, the Shleiffen plan was developed: it involved a quick and decisive attack on France, followed by an all-out assault on Russia.
In case of war with any member of the Triple Alliance, Russia would go for a rapid assault on Austria-Hungary and France would go on a lightning offensive on the Western front.
Weltpolitik (Germany) was a shift from was a shift from Bismarck's foreign policy and advocated imperealist ambitions and heavy naval expansion for the purpose of becoming a global power. The Franc-Russian Alliance, initially signed because of the Bulgarian crisis, was further encouraged to put a check on Germany's growing ambitions.
How important was nationalism to the German government?
Nationalism was a driving factor in motivating the masses and eventually supporting the war. German unification of 1871 was a big reason for a new found wave of German nationalism, followed by industrial growth and military improvement. German foreign policy was based on domestic mood: that is why they ventured out into imperealism, because they had to keep the nationalistic sentiment alive. Germany getting heavilly industrialized, however they were not experiencing democracy. The middle class had little political power, everything was controlled by Junkers (higher class) and the Kaiser. They distracted the middle and lower class from economic inequality by manipulating the nationalist sentiment through imperial affairs.
What effect did Japanese imperealism have with its relations with Russia?
It resulted in a Russo-Japanese war of 1904, where Japan secured a grand victory.
What was the Entente Cordiale and how did the Kaiser view it?
Entente Cordiale was an agreement between France and the UK in 1904 that was meant to clear up Anglo-French colonial differences in Africa and Asia. It gave no promise of military co-operation in case of a European War.
The Kaiser saw it a secret military alliance that was aimed against Germany. He decided to test out the closeness of this alliance by provoking a situation in Morocco in order to disrupt French imperial interests.
Evaluate the claim that Europe was dragged into "the THird Balkan War".
Both Austria Hungary and Serbia knew they were on a collision in 1914, and they did not care if that meant dragging other European nations. However, the crisis in the Balkans was the occasion rather than the cause of the First World War. Serbia did not want the war and Austria Hungary used the assination of Arch Duke Ferdinand to settle accounts with Serbia.
Explain why European nations were interested in colonialism.
Was the scramble for African territory by European nations. Traders, agents, bankers, and investors urged governments to establish dominance abroad. Britain wanted to keep its colonial interests. French wanted colonies for economic gain and to restore prestige after the loss in Franco-Prussian War. Belgium sought an empire to enhance the status of the king and for economic rewards. Italians wanted world-stage recognition. Germany wanted domestic approval.