short term causes -mursaleen nazad
The following crises and alliances listed in the chart below are key short-terms events, but not all, that contributed significantly to increasing tensions between the European countries. These short-term events ultimately played a major role in paving the road to World War One. The relationship between these events and France will be discussed, along with the economic, political, military, and social conditions in France from 1870-1914. All of the events listed will not be discussed. Only those explicitly including and regarding France will be investigated.
The First Moroccan Crisis (1905):
France leading up to 1905 was one of the "dominant geographic and economic powers on the Continent" and also "built one of the strongest armies in the world" (Pendergast 2-5). France was also participating in political activities and in 1904, France and Britain both came to form "The Entente Cordiale" which was "an agreement between Britain and France" that "resolved a number of longstanding colonial disputes, and established a diplomatic understanding between the two countries" (Cambon 1).
In 1905, France was "declaring Morocco a French colony. Germany protested this move, for it wanted a port of its own in Morocco" (Pendergast 13). Germany heard news of French involvement in Morocco and Wilhelm II went to Morocco to fulfill "Germany's desire to undermine the newly formed Entente Cordiale between Britain and France, to split the Entente partners before they had a chance to consolidate their bond"(1545 Mombauer).
When all was settled, France left The First Moroccan Crisis with control over Morocco's police and central bank. France was simply expanding it's colonial empire, and was bothered by Germany, who came into Morocco as a bully looking to cause trouble. Germany left on a much lesser note, in that they ultimately strengthened the relationship between France and Britain, which contradicted their goal of trying to diminish it. The Germans also began to form feelings of encirclement from France, Britain, and Russia. Russia joined The Entente Cordiale to form the Triple Entente, as a result of the Anglo-Russian Convention. France made economic gains by maintaining Morocco as one of it's colonies and political gains by forming the Triple Entente. France also had military gains by strengthening their alliance with Britain.
France leading up to 1905 was one of the "dominant geographic and economic powers on the Continent" and also "built one of the strongest armies in the world" (Pendergast 2-5). France was also participating in political activities and in 1904, France and Britain both came to form "The Entente Cordiale" which was "an agreement between Britain and France" that "resolved a number of longstanding colonial disputes, and established a diplomatic understanding between the two countries" (Cambon 1).
In 1905, France was "declaring Morocco a French colony. Germany protested this move, for it wanted a port of its own in Morocco" (Pendergast 13). Germany heard news of French involvement in Morocco and Wilhelm II went to Morocco to fulfill "Germany's desire to undermine the newly formed Entente Cordiale between Britain and France, to split the Entente partners before they had a chance to consolidate their bond"(1545 Mombauer).
When all was settled, France left The First Moroccan Crisis with control over Morocco's police and central bank. France was simply expanding it's colonial empire, and was bothered by Germany, who came into Morocco as a bully looking to cause trouble. Germany left on a much lesser note, in that they ultimately strengthened the relationship between France and Britain, which contradicted their goal of trying to diminish it. The Germans also began to form feelings of encirclement from France, Britain, and Russia. Russia joined The Entente Cordiale to form the Triple Entente, as a result of the Anglo-Russian Convention. France made economic gains by maintaining Morocco as one of it's colonies and political gains by forming the Triple Entente. France also had military gains by strengthening their alliance with Britain.
The Second Moroccan Crisis (1911):
In 1911, there was another crisis in Morocco. "Germany was again intent on asserting its status as a great power, and on ensuring adequate compensation for France's territorial gains, with an eye to weakening the Entente in the process"(1546 Mombauer). France was supposedly trying to enforce military actions on the people of Morocco, and the Germans believed it to be their duty to come the the rescue of the Moroccan people. This crisis left France with positive gains, but just added to the feelings of hostility and encirclement in Germany. France gained politically because the relations between France and Britain were taken to new heights and both countries formed a strong reliance on one another. The military gains for France from The Second Moroccan crisis would be the forming of the Anglo-French naval agreement in 1912 which essentially gave the French naval responsibility for guarding the Mediterranean, which then allowed Britain to concentrate its naval power in the North Sea against Germany. The social gains would be the rejuvenating of the "revanche idea, a wish for seeking revenge for the lost territories following the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871" because of the land taken by Germany in the Congo as compensation (1546 Mombauer).
Franco-Russian Alliance (1891-1917):
In 1871, France and Russia "being animated by a common desire to preserve peace, and having no other object than to meet the necessities of a defensive war, provoked by an attack of the forces of the Triple Alliance against either of them" formed the Franco-Russian Alliance (Avalon 1). France and Russia "agreed to share military plans and to protect each other in case of war. France loaned Russia money to help it construct a railroad spanning the vast Russian countryside. Both countries agreed that they needed to protect the Slavic peoples living to the east of the Austro-Hungarian border"(Pendergast 6). Through this alliance, France gained economically because both countries vowed to lend each other money when needed. Political gains would be that France and Russia formed an alliance, that would later help form the Triple Entente, including a third party Britain. The military gains would be the most substantial because France and Russia had two of the largest armies in all of Europe. They were high in numbers, and resources. Both countries were able to formulate military plans together. The social impact of the Franco-Russian Alliance is that it created a sense of dependance amongst the people of each country on the other. Both expected the other to give assistance in the event of an invasion from a member of the Triple Alliance.
Anglo-French Cordiale (1904):
The Anglo-French Cordiale, also known as the Entente Cordiale, was formed as a result of France wanting to "build a buffer against possible German aggression" (Avalon 1). France "signed the agreement in a bid to encourage an Anglo alliance with France. Similarly Britain was willing to encourage co-operation between the two countries with an eye on Germany's decision to expand her naval strength in competition with Britain" (Avalon 2). This relationship between France and Britain was tested by Germany during both of the Moroccan Crises, and Germany left both times with the same answer. The alliance between the two was impeccable and with the addition of Russia, at the end of the first Moroccan Crisis, the three countries formed a unified alliance block that caused several military problems for Germany. Economically, France gained because it was able to maintain its colonies in North Africa, specifically Morocco, with the help of Britain. Politically, France was now able to rely on Britain for support and backup in it's views against the members of the Triple Alliance. The French gained socially because it was now able to put aside its previous colonial disputes, and focus on containing German expansion, territorially or militarily, The military impact of this alliance
Triple Entente (1907-1918):
The Triple Entente was the other alliance block that occupied Europe during the early 1900's. It consisted of France, Britain, and Russia.
"Each of the major powers had made itself highly capable of waging war; each country had masses of men and military weaponry at the ready" (Pendergast 14). This proved extremely beneficial for the members of the Triple Entente because Britain brought a strong naval presence, the Russians brought numbers in men, and the French provided the allies with a large army, and a navy presence. The economic impact of the Triple Entente is that it allowed France to have more mobility with its colonies in North Africa, because of the support given by Britain and Russia. Also, France was able to borrow and lend money with each of its allies, in order to construct new methods of transportation, like railways in Russia. Politically, the Triple Entente formed an alliance block that would prove to be strong enough to withstand the the German surges during the war. Socially, dependence was formed amongst the people of each country, and a sense of unity was spread throughout the countries. Finally, militarily, the Triple Entente allowed the Russians and French to pose a two front war against Germany, which was one of the biggest fears of Germany. Also, the alliance combined the strengths of each army and created a force with an enormous number of men, and a navy presence no other countries combined could provide.
In 1911, there was another crisis in Morocco. "Germany was again intent on asserting its status as a great power, and on ensuring adequate compensation for France's territorial gains, with an eye to weakening the Entente in the process"(1546 Mombauer). France was supposedly trying to enforce military actions on the people of Morocco, and the Germans believed it to be their duty to come the the rescue of the Moroccan people. This crisis left France with positive gains, but just added to the feelings of hostility and encirclement in Germany. France gained politically because the relations between France and Britain were taken to new heights and both countries formed a strong reliance on one another. The military gains for France from The Second Moroccan crisis would be the forming of the Anglo-French naval agreement in 1912 which essentially gave the French naval responsibility for guarding the Mediterranean, which then allowed Britain to concentrate its naval power in the North Sea against Germany. The social gains would be the rejuvenating of the "revanche idea, a wish for seeking revenge for the lost territories following the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871" because of the land taken by Germany in the Congo as compensation (1546 Mombauer).
Franco-Russian Alliance (1891-1917):
In 1871, France and Russia "being animated by a common desire to preserve peace, and having no other object than to meet the necessities of a defensive war, provoked by an attack of the forces of the Triple Alliance against either of them" formed the Franco-Russian Alliance (Avalon 1). France and Russia "agreed to share military plans and to protect each other in case of war. France loaned Russia money to help it construct a railroad spanning the vast Russian countryside. Both countries agreed that they needed to protect the Slavic peoples living to the east of the Austro-Hungarian border"(Pendergast 6). Through this alliance, France gained economically because both countries vowed to lend each other money when needed. Political gains would be that France and Russia formed an alliance, that would later help form the Triple Entente, including a third party Britain. The military gains would be the most substantial because France and Russia had two of the largest armies in all of Europe. They were high in numbers, and resources. Both countries were able to formulate military plans together. The social impact of the Franco-Russian Alliance is that it created a sense of dependance amongst the people of each country on the other. Both expected the other to give assistance in the event of an invasion from a member of the Triple Alliance.
Anglo-French Cordiale (1904):
The Anglo-French Cordiale, also known as the Entente Cordiale, was formed as a result of France wanting to "build a buffer against possible German aggression" (Avalon 1). France "signed the agreement in a bid to encourage an Anglo alliance with France. Similarly Britain was willing to encourage co-operation between the two countries with an eye on Germany's decision to expand her naval strength in competition with Britain" (Avalon 2). This relationship between France and Britain was tested by Germany during both of the Moroccan Crises, and Germany left both times with the same answer. The alliance between the two was impeccable and with the addition of Russia, at the end of the first Moroccan Crisis, the three countries formed a unified alliance block that caused several military problems for Germany. Economically, France gained because it was able to maintain its colonies in North Africa, specifically Morocco, with the help of Britain. Politically, France was now able to rely on Britain for support and backup in it's views against the members of the Triple Alliance. The French gained socially because it was now able to put aside its previous colonial disputes, and focus on containing German expansion, territorially or militarily, The military impact of this alliance
Triple Entente (1907-1918):
The Triple Entente was the other alliance block that occupied Europe during the early 1900's. It consisted of France, Britain, and Russia.
"Each of the major powers had made itself highly capable of waging war; each country had masses of men and military weaponry at the ready" (Pendergast 14). This proved extremely beneficial for the members of the Triple Entente because Britain brought a strong naval presence, the Russians brought numbers in men, and the French provided the allies with a large army, and a navy presence. The economic impact of the Triple Entente is that it allowed France to have more mobility with its colonies in North Africa, because of the support given by Britain and Russia. Also, France was able to borrow and lend money with each of its allies, in order to construct new methods of transportation, like railways in Russia. Politically, the Triple Entente formed an alliance block that would prove to be strong enough to withstand the the German surges during the war. Socially, dependence was formed amongst the people of each country, and a sense of unity was spread throughout the countries. Finally, militarily, the Triple Entente allowed the Russians and French to pose a two front war against Germany, which was one of the biggest fears of Germany. Also, the alliance combined the strengths of each army and created a force with an enormous number of men, and a navy presence no other countries combined could provide.
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