1. Franco-Prussian War - July 15, 1870 -February 1, 1871
#43
The Franco-Prussian War was fought between the French, Prussians, and the Germans. This war would be responsible for making Germany a viable fighting force in Europe. At the end of the war, the Germans took the Alsace-Lorraine as part of the agreement to end the war. This war would unify Germany.In addition the Franco-Prussian war used the Schlieffen Plan successfully. #43
2. Seizure of Alsace-Lorraine 1871
#69
The seizure of the Alsace-Lorraine led to lots of fighting thorughout the Great War. The land would eventually be given back to France at the Paris Peace Conference. Germany was stripped of this land for "starting" the war. #47
3. Alliance Systems -1872-1907
#70
The alliance systems relating to Wordl War I include the League of the Three Emperors, the Dual Alliance, the Second Three Emperors' League, the Triple Alliance, the Reinsurance Treaty, the Franco-Russian Alliance, the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, the Entente Cordiale, and the Anglo-Russian Entente. These Alliances would cause a domino effect in starting the Great War. Some countries weren't going to war because they wanted to. They were going to support their allies. #70
4. Reinsurance Treaty - June 18, 1887
#3
The Reinsurance Treaty was a treaty between Russia and German to state that other country would remain neutral if the other one were to declare war on a third great power. This however would not apply if Germany attacked France or if Russia were to Austria. This was an agreement made in secret to protect against the Three Emperors League. This was important in the years before the Great War in that it lead to more secret agreements. It was also a direct effect of the Three Emperors League. #56
5. Russia mobilizes for war - July 31,1914
#49
Becuase Russia's army was so large they had to begin to mobilze for war early. Germany saw this a threat and declared war on Russia #49.
6. Germany's mobilization for War - August 1 ,1914
#49
Becuase of the mobilization or Russia, germany had to mobilize its army as well. In doing so it began to fight a two- front war. The Schlieffen Plan held the answer to this
7. Italo-Turkish War - 1911-1912
#50
The Italo Turkish war was a territorial dispute over colonies in Africa. The Italian army wanted to seize a colony in Northern Africa after the Moroccan crisis. After issuing an ultimatum to the Turkish government, the Italians declared war. During the course of this war, the Italians would be defeated. This contributed to the start of Great War in that it depleted the Italian fighting force and would delay their start in the war. #50
8. The Balkan Wars - 1912-1913
#33
The Balkan wars were between the Balkan League and the Ottoman Empire. The first of these wars would prove to be successful for the Balkans. The second war however causes the Balkans to lose most of Macedonia. These wars would cripple the Balkan fighting force and be cause for up rise in the Balkan territory. As a result, the Balkan Empire would cease to exist at the end of the Great War.
#4
9. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand - June 28, 1914
#34
A man named Gavrilo Princip carried
out the assassination of the archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand. Princip was
a part of a secret Serbian nationalist society, The Black Hand. The Serbian government
originally denied any association to the Black Hand. Later, it was revealed
that the Serbian government was behind the assassination.