Homework – You were each given a primary source document, something that contributed to the lead up to World War I. What you need to do is learn from your given document so that you can then show how your piece is a part of the greater puzzle as to why the world went to war.
Ask yourself questions such as “What caused this…?” or “What does this effect…?”, or maybe, “Who are the key people/nations/places, etc.?”
Post your observations in below. If you forgot how to edit the post, read the directions.
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[Natasha]
The treaty in London at 1839 is a relevancy to Article 7, which bounds Britain and Belgium in neutrality for latter’s invasion. The prime minister of Germany took Britain into the Great War on 4 August 1914 due to their intention to Paris by asking the British government to lay off the scrap of paper in 1914 resulting a defence in Belgium.
The letter reconciles names of the kings, queens and the dukes around West Europe in a pledge which vows to follow the articles 6, 7 and 8 which means the possibilities of the two factions to limit belongings of each other just as explained in articles 1,2, and 4. Belgium shall be in a neutral state and in peace with other states. Too, for the drainage in the Two Flanders to be regulated between Holland and Belgium according to article 6 as agreed by the king of Germany making arrangements for the content as described.
[Letizia]
The Ems Telegram was used by France as a text to declare the France Prussian War in July 1870. The Telegram is a message from the Prussian King informing the demand made by the French Ambassador. The Ems Telegram was a telegram sent by Heinrich Abeken of the Foreign Office under the instruction of Kaiser Wilhelm. The telegram content is about the detail of the disagreement betwen Wilhem and the French ambassador concerning the succession to the Spanish throne, the telegram was designed to give the French Impression that king Wilhem 1 had insulted Count Benedetti. There are two versions of the Ems Telegram, the first is the Wilhem’s version, and the second version is the Bismarck’s version. The version that is published by Bismarck seemed that two men had insulted each other, the beggining of the Prussian War. Wilhem’s version content is about the refused of the request to never again approve Hohenzollers to seek Spain’s Throne. The Ems Telegram is a message from Kaiser Wilhem 1 to his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck informing the settling of the crisis, then Bismarck edited the telegram so it seemed the telegram was written to insult France. Bismarck reallesed the edited version in Paris newspapers on July 14 1870, on the Bastille Day.
7 October 1879 – Dual Alliance
The primary document is basically about the dual alliance signed by German and Austria-Hungary, they promise to give help to each other from the attack of Russia. This alliance is different; they had a war until 1914. The Bismarck, wants to build a numerous ofalliances at first to provide newly united Germany with allies
against future possible attack by France.
Germany’s Otto von Bismarck saw the alliance as a way to prevent the seperation of Germany and to preserve peace, as Russia would not wage war against both empires. The addition of Italy in 1882 made it the Triple Alliance. The agreement remained an important element of both German and Austro-Hungarian foreign policy until 1918
19 June 1881 – Three Emperors League
Your notes, paragraph, description, etc. here. Just highlight and replace the text.
[Jaesik Choi]
This particular primary document talks about the signing of an alliance between three nations, Italy, Austria-Hungary, and Germany. Where any nation that threatens or make war against any of the three within the contracted treaty, the other two shall join together as one and fight the opposition. Also, that this treaty was made so that the constant bickering about territorial matters between the Italians and the Austro-Hungarians would stop.
Due to the treaty, three of the nations are tied so that each can help another in times of war. This affected the divisions of nations during the WWI because, as Serbia and Austria-Hungary declared war, the treaty went into effect and now, three nations are against Serbia but, due to other alliances that the Serbians made, other nations joined the fight thus, having two different sides, one consisting of the three nations that signed the treaty.
The Key nations that took role was italy, Austria-Hungary, and Germany. Whereas they all formed an alliance so that they could help one another during wars and also not fight against each other during peace. Also, the notable persons who were noted within the document are,
(L.S.) KALNOKY
(L.S.) H. VII v. REUSS
(L.S.) C. ROBILANT
To conclude, due to the signing of the treaty between these three nations, any offensive actions against any will be countered with the force of three and when Austria-Hungary declared war against Serbia, Italy and Germany also declared war thus, chaining the other alliances tied down by Serbia into joining the War.
18 June 1887- Reinsurance Treaty
[Alvon]
After Bismarck succesfully created United Germany, he was afraid for a potential break up within the empire therefore, he made the Reinsurance Treaty, to avoid the chances for the finally united Germany in breaking apart again. Since Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary desired power, they decided to make one in all, equal to avoid any fighting against each other that would lead to a catastrophic war that’ll devastate the Triple alliance just to see who is the stronger one of the three. The Treaty went active for three years.
The Treaty then was forced to be revised after the term expired so that it could be updated to improve the relationship between nations and also to avoid riots caused by the particular treaty. The treaty was also required approval and the exchanging of approvals would be held in Berlin, the capital city of Germany to avoid any casualities. The exchange was made as soon as possible to take the treaty in effect.
8 August 1892 – Franco-Russian Military Convention
[Yola]
This primary document is about France-Russian agreement when Russia joins France and British and form Triple Entente. The content of this document is basically about the rules between the France and Russia. I summarize all of the 7 rules to 5 rules. The first one is, whenever Russia or France was attacked by Germany, either of the 2 countries (Russia and France) should defend each other. The second rules, France should provide 1.300.000 men to attack Germany, while Russia should provide 700.000 or 800.000 men to attack Germany, and they should attack Germany with full speed that will make Germany has to fight simultaneously on the East and on the West. The third rules is The General Staffs of the Armies of the 2 countries should cooperate at all times and share information to each other. The fourth one, France and Russia should not conclude peace separately. The last is this document should be kept secret. Without this document, Russia will join Germany or Central Power. And if Russia join the Central Power, the scale will tip off and Central Power will win.
Your notes, paragraph, description, etc. here. Just highlight and replace the text.
1908 – Proclamation of the Young Turks
[Etania]
The young Turks are groups of people who are helping the reformation of the administration of the Ottoman Empire. They did a couple of opposition and their goal was to unite all the parties including Committee of Union and Progress in order to bring the Revolution. However, it is hard to unite them because of the issue of nationalism. The key groups of people in this proclamation was the young turks, Armenian Revolutionary Federation, and the Committee of Union and Progress where they all try to overthrow Sultan Abdul Hamid II.
Basically, the proclamation tells us that they want to establish freedom of speech because the Ottoman citizen after they completed their 20th year, they have the right to vote. They also want to establish equality in law, education, government post and military law. In the proclamation, it’s written that they have to build roads and railways and canals to increase the facilities of communication and increase the sourves of the wealth of the country.Any other things that can interfere with the country’s agriculture and commerce shall be abolish. They have the freedom to choose their own religion. The education is also free because the government is the one who pay for it but the curriculum of the education must homogeneous (equal or the same). Because the education was homogeneous, all the school was taught in Turkish. Secondary and higher education was paid by the government but there are only 3 major; commerce, agriculture and industry. So they establish those rules to prepare their citizens to built they’re country.
The effect of this proclamation is that the young turks think that small amount of people believed in science so the young turks tried to mixed scince with Islam because they think that islam is materialistic. So that they will have an edge of science in the islam religion which is called positivism. Another result of the young turks revolution in 1908 was the establishment of a centralized government which had strong control of the Ottoman civil and military administration. All the young turk’s theory opposed the idea of equality among fellow-citizens.
1913 – Crown Prince Wilhelm on the Prospect of War
[Felicia]
From the text taken from Crown Prince Wilhelm’s book “Germany in Arms” that was published in 1913.
The outcome observation that could be taken from this particular text written by Crown Prince Wilhelm was basically about him that could not agree if German live in peace. In fact, he believed that war was something that must happen between countries until the end of the world. His thought about German and its prosperity was so high, that he was sure; war was the only thing that could maintain its position. In this text, Prince Wilhelm was also persuading the Germans to devote themselves for their homeland. He said that for those who were dear to his land must be trained and ready whenever the Empire declared war to other countries. Furthermore, he added that whoever joined a war for his own country and died because of it, was doing the fairest thing in the world.
The reasons why the world went to war based on the causes and effects from the text written by Prince Wilhelm:
-His point of view that German was not meant to declare peace and live in it.
-His point of view to keep maintaining the prosperity they had had. Thus, the feeling of insecure and greediness of wanting more occurred.
-He was trying to influence the Germans about their life’s dedication was only for German alone. He was trying to show the Germans that, whoever loved his country, must be ready and trained to go on to the battlefield, whenever the Empire declared war. Therefore, Prince Wilhelm was trying to manipulate the people’s thought about how to live their life only for their homeland alone and war should keep on going.
-His point of view that war was actually something that must happen between two countries and would remain until the end of the world.
-His point of view that German would always have its victory, because German never came back without it. Therefore, he was prospecting wars because he never felt the taste of defeat.
-His point of view that the Germans had better weapons than any other countries in the world.
-His point of view that German was a badly-located country in the centre of Europe. Therefore, the possibility of the surrounding countries would attack him was high.
-His point of view that war was the only way to maintain German in its ‘high’ position/level, even to increase it, and it was his and the Empire’s obligation to watch carefully upon the army.
-His point of view that people who devoted their lives and then died in the war did not matter.
-His point of view that anyone who got involved in war for his own country was doing the fairest thing in the world, and the happiest thing about it was that if the enemy ran away, defeated. Thus, there was this feeling of satisfaction when he won the war. Therefore, an addiction of wanting more and more wars occurred.
4 March 1913 – President Woodrow Wilson’s Inauguration Address
[Elka Kristia]
Inside this primary documents, it was basically telling us of a change of government when President Woodrow Wilson won the President election of November 1912. The government has changed to Democratic party, the offices of President and Vice-President have been put into hand of Democrats. Then the effect was that the citizen feel refreshed by a new insight into their own life. Before their way of life and the government was justice, they saw that their life contains every great thing, and contains it in rich abundance. Their duty was to cleanse, reconsider, restore, to correct evil without impairing the good. They have built a great system of government which had last long for those who seek to set the liberty upon foundations that will endure against fortuitous change. But all of those system of government was lost as they now made use of for private and selfish purposes, and those who used it had forgotten the people. I will take one of the examples that they ought to be altered and this is one of the chief items; Violates the just principles of taxation and makes the government a facile instrument in the hand of private interests.
The writer point of view: the nation was stirred by the knowledge of wrong
The writer point of view: they shall restore not destroy
The writer point of view: since the change of government happened, they thought of something like this “Let every man look out for himself, let every generation look out for it self
The writer point of view: The firm basis of government is justice, not pity.
The writer point of view: We shall restore not destroy
Cause and effect: Evil has come with the good, as so people begin to do things which were not valuable. They squandered a great part of what they might have used.
Cause and effect: People were thinking of them self, their own success, and the effect of it was that they tend not to care about other people the fearful physical and spiritual cost of men, women and children.
Cause and effect: They had forgotten their morals, and the effect was that they were careless and in a hurry to be great.
28 June 1914 – Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s Assassination
[Lee Hyun Seung/Joel]
The asasination of Achduke Franz Ferdinand was the main cause for the outbreak of the Fist World War. It happened on the 28th of June 1914. While on a fomal visit to Sarajevo, a Serb nationalist called Gavrilo Pincip shot him and his wife. While they were in the car, Ferdinand didn’t realize that his wife Sophie was shot so he encouraged her to stay alive while losing consciousness at a fast rate. They were declared dead at the building that their unconscious bodies were brought in. The Austro-Hungarians blamed the Serbs for the assasination and declared war on them.
July 1914 – Kaiser Wilhelm on Austria’s Ultimatum
[philip go]
This primary document is basically about the reports that was sent by Baron Tschirschky about the events that happened on the presentation of an ultimatum to Serbia. The ultimatum of Austria to Serbia was for the retaliation for the murder of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo. The message that Baron Tschirschky sent was about the details of the Archduke assassination. He reported that it was cleverly planned and that the people wanted to give Serbia a series of conditions and they agreed that if the Serbians don’t agree they will take vigorous measures. Tschirschky reported everything that was happening with the people and what the people want and they basically wanted war with the Serbians because of the death of Archduke Ferdinand and this is how the war between Austria and Serbia begin, it was the people who have chosen this and the government who have declared the war. This document tells that the people wanted to have war with Serbia and it also tells us about the plan of Kaiser Wilhelm for the war against Serbia. But mostly the text explained about how the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand triggered the war to really start.
4 August 1914 – Britain’s Breaking Off of Diplomatic Relations with Germany
[Chyntia]
This document is recorded by Sir Edward Goschen. It was recorded the tragedy of Britain’s breaking off diplomatic relations with Germany and the reaction between Herr Von Jagow (the foreign minister) and Bethmann-Hollweg (the German chancellor).
Imperial government decided to take a decision that they would avoid from violating Belgium neutrality. But actually, Belgium had been violated neutrality. They should took the easiest and fastest strategy, because they should not spent much useless time. This loss of time would be the advantage for the Russians for bringing up their troops to the German border. German had a great asset by responded it quickly, while the Russians had a huge number supply of their troops.
Imperial government confirmed that they would not continue with their violation of the Belgium border and stop their advance. His Majesty’s Government would have to take all the steps in their power to support the neutrality of Belgium and treaty that Germany was as much a party as themselves.
In a short conversation between Sir Edward Goschen and Herr Von Jagow, Herr Von Jagow showed his feelings. He did not like that all of his entire policy and Chancellor had been became peace with Great Britain, then they could get closer to France.
Herr Zimmermannn said that was in fact, as the Imperial Government could not possibly give the assurance required.
4 August 1914 – The Scrap of Paper
[Yves]
Germany ignore English agreement to protect Belgium as a neutral country that do not take part at the war. German Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg says that its an old agreement that was made when Belgium was not a country yet. But English says don’t disturb Belgium or we’ll have war. Actually, without comment about “Scrap of Paper” English will definitely take part because German, already really want to conquer Europe.
4 February 1915 – German Admiralty Declaration
[Kevin]
This primary document basically tells us about the German’s government who declared a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare on 4 February 1915, warned neutral ships to stay away from the water that surrounded Britain and Ireland from 18 February 1915 onwards. From February 18, any enemy merchant vessel found would be destroy. The neutral ships were also in danger and it was not possible to avoid attack being made because of mistake that they see the neutral ships as enemy. It was this policy that made US enter war more than any other reasons in April 1917.
23 May 1915 – Emperor Franz Josef on the Italian Declaration of War
In this document, Emperor Franz Josef shows his disappointment on Italy as they declared war on him after an alliances of more that thirty years duration, which during this alliances Italy was able to increase its territorial possessions and in Austria-Hungarian’s hour of danger, Italy just betray them by develop itself to un-thought of flourishing condition by joining the allies, knowing that Italy had a secret treaty with allies which promised sizable territorial gains for Italy if they join the Allies. The emperor also show his regrets on helping Italy, they’ve done a great and painful sacrifices which particularly grieved their paternal heart in order to maintain peace and their alliance relation but now Italy betray them.
27 June 1916 – Sharif Hussein’s Proclamation of Independence from Turkey
[Regina]
This passage talked about Sharif Hussein Bin Ali, Emir of Mecca and proclaimed that he was a direct descendant of Mohammed, who wanted to remove Ottoman Sultan Mehmed V (Ottoman Turkish) as spiritual leader for the injustice led by the great Ottoman Sultans toward Arabs.
The key players and nations that were involved were Sharif Hussein Bin Ali, Ottoman Sultan Mehmed V, Ottoman Sultans, Arab as a whole population and nation and Turkey. Initially during world war I, Sharif Hussein created alliances between Germany and Ottoman. The cause of Sharif Hussein’s separation with the Ottoman were because the Ottoman government was planning to remove him at the end of the war and the mistreatment by the Turks in Syria. It made the alliances soured and so he made a choice to remove Ottoman Sultan Mehmed V whom he represented as a mere tool of the Young Turk (a member of a revolutionary party in the Ottoman Empire who carried out the revolution of 1908 and deposed the sultan Abdul Hamid II) administration.
Due to the suffering Arabs faced by the mistreatment of the Ottoman, Sharif Hussein could not agree anymore to break free from Turkey. He saw that the Ottoman had led the Arabs away from the Moslem tradition and they administering it just as they liked and according to their own sweet will. Sharif Hussein believed that Arab should be independent for the sake of what is good of Islam and the Moslems.
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