ORIGINS OF WWI – HISTORICAL FORCE ESSAY



ORIGINS OF WWI – HISTORICAL FORCE ESSAY

“Describe the background and outcomes of an event that affected the lives of ordinary people. How did an historical force or movement related to this event have an influence on ordinary people’s lives at this time?”

There are two parts to this question. You must write about both:

1.) Causes of your chosen event.

2.) How that event affected ordinary people (particularly with reference to your chosen historical force).

This model essay will be talking about:

1.) The event of the Moroccan Crises.

2.) How the assassination and the force of Imperialism affected ordinary people.

The first job is to plan your essay. It is vital that you do this in the exam. People who fail are always the ones who didn’t do the plan. It looks like this:

|Selected historical force or movement |Selected topic |Selected event |

|Imperialism |Origins Of WWI |The Moroccan Crises |

|Background to the event |

| |

|Imperialistic rivalries between the Great Powers such as France and Germany, and the “Scramble For Africa” |

| |

|Wilhelm II’s visit to Tangiers, the “Open Door Speech” and the 1906 Algeciras Conference |

| |

|Germany’s deployment of the Panther gunboat to Agadir |

| |

|David Lloyd George’s “Mansion House Speech” |

| |

|German/British naval competition |

|Outcomes of the event |

| |

|Strengthening of the Triple Entente |

| |

|Austria-Hungary’s support of Germany and the later “Blank Cheque” |

| |

|Opposing “Power Blocks” in Europe |

|Influence of the force/movement on people’s lives |

| |

|Simmering Imperialist and Nationalist tensions |

| |

|Lessons learnt from Gunboat Diplomacy |

The bits in italics are the bits that you would have filled in during the exam. Your job now is to go back through your notes and textbook to re-familiarise yourself with some of the things I have filled in for you. This plan is not exhaustive, so there might be other things you would like to add.

The next job is to write the actual essay. Below I have written the points which could be included based on the essay plan. However, I have not included any critical analysis. It is therefore your job to write the essay making sure you include the words

“because”

“therefore”

“as a result of”

These words ensure that your sentence is analysis rather than story telling. When discussing causes (background) and consequences (influence on people) you could also include critical analysis by arguing which ones are more important than others and why e.g.

“However, perhaps of more importance is…”

“Although … was important, it was vital that …”

You will need to link the points below together, as simply stating simple sentences is story telling and NOT GOOD! You should also add relevant information from your notes and textbook. You should see that at roughly the end of each paragraph I have written [ANSWER THE QUESTION!] That means that you need to refer back to the essay question at that point. You should also add relevant information from your notes and textbook. When you have completed this essay you should hand it in for marking. When it is correct, you should learn it for the exam.

Introduction

An event that had an impact on the lives of ordinary people was the Moroccan Crises of 1905 and 1911.

The force of Imperialism, an ideology focusing on the expansion of a nation’s territory and the subordination of foreign peoples, had an influence on ordinary people’s lives because it was one of the causes of this event.

The causes of this event were the decades of simmering Imperialist tensions and rivalries between the Great Powers.

The Algeciras Conference at the end of the First Moroccan Crisis resulted in Germany being politically humiliated and left out in the cold.

These conditions precipitated the Second Moroccan Crisis, in which international tension was sparked by the deployment of the Panther to Agadir. This was motivated by German Imperialistic aspirations, as well as a desire to break up the Triple Entente.

The main consequence of the First Moroccan Crisis was that Germany felt increasingly “encircled” by hostile powers in Europe, with Austria-Hungary as her only friend.

Although the aim had been to weaken the Triple Entente, it was actually strengthened by both Crises.

The Second Moroccan Crisis also resulted in a rise in Nationalist and Imperialist sentiment, for example, the British “Mansion House Speech”.

The force of Imperialism had an influence on ordinary people’s lives because in the court of public opinion people began to desire foreign territory and superiority, and were prepared to fight for it.

Main Body – Background To The Event

There had been a long period of Imperialistic tensions between the Great Powers, for example, France and Germany.

In the “Scramble For Africa”, from the 1880s onwards, the nations of Europe struggled to carve up the continent in a great wave of Imperialism.

The agreements reached by France in 1904 regarding Protectorate control over Morocco were unacceptable to Germany, who had been left in the dark. [ANSWER THE QUESTION!]

Amidst great pomp and circumstance, in a great show of Imperial power, Wilhelm II visited Tangiers and declared in the “Open Door Speech” that he recognised Moroccan independence.

The “Open Door Speech” created international Imperialistic tensions.

The 1906 Algeciras Conference followed the “Open Door Speech”. At this Conference, Germany expected France to be called to account by the other European Powers.

At the Conference, the other Powers did not attack France. Germany found Austria-Hungary to be her only friend and her perception of being “encircled” by hostile Powers in Europe increased. [ANSWER THE QUESTION]

An important cause of the Second Moroccan Crisis of 1911 was the First Crisis of 1905.

Germany had never harboured any real substantive Imperialistic interest in Morocco, instead aiming to use international Imperialistic tensions to break the bonds of the Triple Alliance.

Having failed to do so in 1906 at the Algeciras Conference, Germany used the opportunity of a tribal uprising in Morocco and the French deployment of troops, as an excuse to deploy the naval cruiser The Panther to Agadir. [ANSWER THE QUESTION!]

Germany was motivated to send the Panther to Agadir by the belief that France’s Imperialist aggression would result in her eventual isolation and submission. This was not to be the case.

David Lloyd George, British Chancellor of the Exchequer, in a show of British support for France, delivered his Nationalistic “Mansion House Speech”, in which he warned that national honour was more precious than peace. [ANSWER THE QUESTION!]

The German desire to surpass Britain’s naval supremacy was also a cause of the Moroccan Crises. Anglo-German tensions were high and British public opinion was becoming increasingly alarmed at the expansion of the German fleet.

The German fleet was being expanded under the Navy Laws of 1898 and 1900.

While Germany aimed to use France’s Imperialist aggression as a means of punishing and humiliating her, the British viewed the arrival of the Panther in Agadir as an indication that Germany intended to create a naval base in the Atlantic.

The Two Power Standard and the Nationalist and Imperialist perception of British superiority meant that Germany could not be allowed to have a naval base in the Atlantic. [ANSWER THE QUESTION!]

Main Body – Outcomes Of The Event

The Triple Entente was strengthened. Britain and France were having high level talks.

Germany in the meantime only had tenuous links with the other members of the Triple Alliance, Austria-Hungary and Italy.

The Naval Agreements of 1912 – 1913 meant there was an understanding that in the event of war, the French fleet would be deployed in the Mediterranean and the British fleet in the North Sea. [ANSWER THE QUESTION!]

Germany had the perception of being increasingly “encircled” by hostile powers.

The experience of the Algeciras Conference had shown her that Austria-Hungary was her only friend. This would have serious consequences later when, after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, Germany had the opportunity to support her friend in her time of need. This support, in the form of the “Blank Cheque” of support in any action against Serbia, can be seen as a significant cause of the outbreak of the First World War. This had an impact on ordinary people’s lives because the forces of Nationalism and Imperialism gave them a desire for superiority of their nation which they were prepared to fight and die for. [ANSWER THE QUESTION!]

Germany’s Imperialistic intentions helped to create the two Power Blocks in Europe which would be drawn inexorably into conflict when Gavrilo Princip fired the bullet heard around the world in 1914. [ANSWER THE QUESTION!]

Main Body – Influence On People

The Moroccan Crises created a Nationalist and Imperialist fervour which accompanied the French/British victory and German defeat.

Frenchmen knew they had seceded territory in the Congo after the Second Crisis, but they also knew that they had scored a victory against the Germans Empire who had defeated them so humilitingly in the 1870 – 1871 Franco-Prussian war.

In Germany, there was a corresponding discontent characterised by outbursts of Nationalistic and Imperialistic hatred towards Britain, who had spoiled their Imperialist aspirations.

In Britain, there was simmering Nationalist and Imperialist tensions, as well as a concern over Germany’s desires for supremacy on the seas and as an empire.

In all these countries, the opinions of ordinary people were swayed by newspapers and the press to a point where war was interpreted as expected, justifiable and even romantic and glorious. [ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!!]

The Moroccan Crises meant that lessons were learnt by the Powers.

Germany’s Imperialistic demonstration of “Gunboat Diplomacy” was a threat to the Great Powers.

Germany’s Imperialistic show of military might and threat of war, succeeded only in driving France and Britain into closer military alliance. This reinforcement of the Triple Entente in turn led to further Anglo-German estrangement and a deepening of the national divisions which would culminate in the First World War. [ANSWER THE QUESTION!]

Conclusion

The background to the Moroccan Crises was decades of simmering Imperialist tensions between the Great Powers.

Germany was motivated both at the Algeciras Conference and when they sent the Panther to Agadir by a desire to humiliate the French and to weaken the Triple Alliance.

The Triple Alliance was actually strengthened by Germany’s use of Gunboat Diplomacy.

The force of Imperialism had an impact on ordinary people’s lives because many countries were motivated to secure foreign territories. People were prepared to go to war for the sake of their empires.

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