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Creation of the Dual Alliance
Otto von Bismarck want to keep peace in Europe. He saw France as the greatest threat. Bismarck want to isolate france so he formed the Dual Alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary. This event is important because the war would not have been a world war with out the alliances it would have just been a war against two countries. When Serbia killed the archduke of Austria-Hungery, Austria-Hungry attacked back and without the alliances the other countries had no reason to get involed. -
Creation of the Triple Alliance
As the dual alliance was going strong three years later Italy joined them to forming the triple alliance. The triple alliance was a mutral agreement for each country to not attack eachother and to help the other countries if they were under attack. It included Germaany, Austria-Hungary and now Italy. The signifigance of this event add another country to the ones wanting to start a war making world war one even bigger. -
Rise of Kaiser Wilhelm II and Resignation of Bismarck, Lapse of Treaty with Russia.
Kaiser Wilhelm II ruler of germany at the time forced Bismarck to resign wanting all the power for himself. The army he had created was magnificent and showed his militarism well. In 1890 Wilhelm let the treaty with Russia lapse causing Russia to join forces with France. The alliance now made Germany have two attacking counties on both sides of it. This event made both France and Russia be enemies with Germany adding to the tangled mess of alliances that were about to explode into war. -
Alliance of Russia and France
When Wilhelm let the alliance with Russia lapse, Russia went to go join France. This made Germany have to major enemies on both sides of their country. It also help form the start of the triple entente. Due to this new alliance, if Germany attack one country then all three would be at war because of the agrement to defend eachother and this lead to the reason not for war even thinner. -
Conflict Over Morocco
In 1905 and again in 1911, Germany and France nearly fought over who would control Morocco in Northern African. Most of the European supported France, so Germany backed down. Lossing Morocco, Germany was angry with france and this lead to and even more reason for these two countries to get involved in WWI. -
Creation of the Triple Entente
Britain formed an entente with france who was already allianced with Russia. Then later formed another one with Russia as well. The formation of these three countries entente was called the triple entente, which was the agrement that said that Britain didn't have to fight with France and Russia, but that Britain would not fight against them. The triple entente cuased the tries between countries that made them intervene in two countries disputes and make the problem diplayed in a big world war. -
Austria annexing Bosnia and Herzegovina
In 1908 Serbia wanted to gain all the Slavs on the Balkan Peninsula, gaining more power. Austria-Hungary opposed this effort fearing it would cause rebellion and annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina. The serbians were outraged and for the years following tension between the two countries grew. The disagrement between the two nations gave them both a reason to fight eachother and when WWI came along they were happy to join in. -
Rise of Militarism
By 1914 the european countries were imperializing, extending a country's power and influence over other nations, in other parts of the world. The fighting over these lands lead to tention between the countries. Due to militarism, the desire to build up your armed forces to get ready for war and nationalism, having pride in your country and the willing to defend it, the countries wanted to take over other areas and show their national greatness. This made countries have a reason to spark a war. -
The Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand
Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife went to stay in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The two of them where shot in their car while riding through the streets by Gavrilo Princip, a 19 year old Serbian and member of the Black Hand, an organization vowed to ridding Bosnia of Austrian rule. Austria-Hungary used this as an excuse to punish serbia. Austria made demands for the serbs to follow and they did exsept for a few and because not all demands were meet Austria to declare war. -
The First Declaration of War (Austria-Hungary and serbia)
On this day Austria-Hungary declared war on serbia because they wouldn't meet all their demands. As a result the fragile europe calapsed. Several nations try to get an agrement between Astria and serbia, but it was too late. As a result the two allience systems, agrements between countries to be friends, split the countries into the two sides sending a chain reaction of events. -
Germany declares war on Russia and then France
In responce to the declaration of war against serbia Russia sent in trops to help serbia in germany and Austria-Hungary. In result Germany declared war on Russia. Being in War Russia asked France its ally for help. Then Germany took a declaration of war on France two days later. These events to even further the chain reaction of actions and make the war even bigger. -
Britain declares was on Germany
Due to Britains ally of France being declared war on Briatian declared war on Germany. At this point the majority of europe is in war. This event made the war even bigger and also then would give other nations a reason to jion in following the chain reaction.
