The First World War 1914-18 — Important Questions

Austria would remain neutral during a Franco-German conflict but would join Germany if France was helped by a third power

Step 1: The Dual Alliance was signed in 1878 between Germany and Austria-Hungary. Step 2: Under this alliance, Germany and Austria promised to help each other against Russia. Step 3: However, for a Franco-German conflict, Austria's role was conditional — Austria would REMAIN NEUTRAL in a direct Franco-German war. Step 4: BUT if France was helped by a THIRD POWER (meaning Russia), then Austria would join Germany in the war. Step 5: This is a nuanced distinction — Austria was not automatically obligated to fight France, only if a third power intervened on France's side. Options A, C, and D misre

Trebilcock

Step 1: The chapter describes Germany's extraordinary industrial growth in comparison to Britain. Step 2: To illustrate this, the historian Trebilcock is specifically quoted as saying 'what British industry took half a century to develop, Germany developed within a decade.' Step 3: This quote emphasizes how rapidly Germany industrialized, which also explains why Germany was so eager to find new colonial markets and resources. Step 4: David Thompson is mentioned as a scholar who partially rejected Marxian views on colonial rivalry. Trietschke was a German historian who preached Teutonic racial

David Thompson

Step 1: Lenin argued in his book that mill owners produce goods in excess, forcing governments to acquire colonies for surplus goods, labor, and raw materials. Step 2: J.A. Hobson had earlier presented a similar economic explanation of imperialism in 'Imperialism — A Study.' Step 3: However, the chapter specifically states that 'recently scholars like David Thompson partially reject the Marxian view.' Step 4: David Thompson's argument was that most colonial disputes were actually settled by 1907 — before the war broke out — and that colonial rivalry was merely a reflection of basic European gr

Franco-Russian Convention (1894), Anglo-French Convention (1904), Anglo-Russian Convention (1907)

Step 1: The chapter explicitly states: 'Thus three treaties, the Franco-Russian Convention of 1894, the Anglo-French Convention of 1904 and the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1807 (1907) made the famous Triple Entente.' Step 2: The FIRST treaty was the Franco-Russian Convention of 1894, negotiated by French Minister Delcasse with Czarist Russia, forming a bloc against Germany. Step 3: The SECOND was the Anglo-French Convention (Entente Cordiale) of 1904, settling colonial disputes between England and France. Step 4: The THIRD was the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907, which settled outstanding dis