Armed Peace to World War I: Europe, Empires and Alliances

The Armed Peace in Europe

In Europe, between 1870 and 1914, there was a period of what is known as the Armed Peace.

Importance of the German Empire

During the period of the Armed Peace, the role of the German Empire was important. After the unification of Germany in 1871, it became the most important power in Europe.

The Bismarckian System (1871–1890)

Wilhelm I used diplomacy to maintain the balance of power between European countries.

• To maintain Germany's hegemony in Europe to such an extent that the main concern of the other European countries would be to maintain friendly relations with Germany.
• To prevent France from declaring war on Germany to recover Alsace-Lorraine.

Wilhelm II and the Expansionist Policy (1890–1914)

In the second phase, the German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, who came to the throne in 1888, changed the system of alliances for an expansionist policy, focusing on obtaining a colonial empire that reflected Germany's growing economic power.

The First World War (1914–1918)

The First World War, or the Great War, was fought between 1914 and 1918 by various European countries and their African and Asian colonies.

Causes of the War

In Europe, during the Armed Peace, countries competed for control of certain areas that became sources of tension.

• The Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Russian Empire competed for control of the Balkans. At the same time, Serbia (a Balkan country) was angry about the expansion of the Austro-Hungarian Empire into the area.
• France wanted to recover the region of Alsace-Lorraine, and had particular interests in Morocco.
• Great Britain saw the supremacy of its merchant navy threatened by the German Empire.

These disputes created a pre-war atmosphere, and the European powers continued to increase spending on arms to increase their military capability and be prepared in case of war. On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was assassinated in Sarajevo. He was shot by a young Bosnian Serb nationalist. The Austrian government blamed Serbia for the assassination and sent it an ultimatum, which was ignored. On 28 July 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia.

Belligerents and Alliances

The Central Powers

The Central Powers: the Austro-Hungarian Empire allied with the German and Ottoman Empires. The pact it had signed was to defend one of the other countries only in the case of an attack from another country.

The Allies

The Allies: Serbia was allied with the Triple Entente (France, Great Britain and the Russian Empire). Later, they were joined by Belgium, Japan, Italy, Romania, the United States, Greece, Portugal, China and various Latin American republics.