Road to World War I: Crises and Conflicts

Pre-War Conflicts Leading to World War I

With the two sides defined, Europe was under great strain, which is why this period is known as the Armed Peace (a time when, despite the absence of declared wars, all countries were preparing for one).

Key Conflicts Paving the Way for War

• Colonial Encounters

  These were largely driven by Germany. Kaiser Wilhelm II favored a more aggressive policy. He dismissed Bismarck and embarked on a series of attempts to gain ground in the colonies.

  In 1905, the First Moroccan Crisis took place. Wilhelm II supported the Sultan of Morocco to resist France's attempts to create a protectorate. War was narrowly avoided. To resolve the conflict, the Conference of Algeciras was held in 1906, where Spanish and French protectorates were established.

  In 1911, the Second Moroccan Crisis occurred. Germany sent warships to Morocco, withdrawing only when granted some territory in Cameroon and Congo.

• The Balkan Conflicts

  The Balkans were a clear area of rivalry between Russia and Austria-Hungary. The Austro-Hungarian Empire sought to assert its influence against Serbia in the region. Russia, on the other hand, considered itself the protector of the Serbs. The period 1908-1914 saw a series of crises:

  • Austria annexed the territory of Bosnia, which belonged to the Balkans. In retaliation, Russia supported the creation of a union between Balkan countries led by Serbia. This union confronted Turkey in the First Balkan War (1912).
  • The Second Balkan War erupted in 1913. Participants from the First Balkan War fought amongst themselves over the distribution of territories. Serbia, with Russia's support, emerged as the leading power in the area.

On June 28, 1914, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian crown, occurred while he was in Bosnia. The murder was carried out by a Serbian nationalist. Consequently, Austria declared war on Serbia. Russia, as Serbia's protector, declared war on Austria, and in less than a week, Europe was at war.

Consequences of World War I

• Demographic Consequences

  Human losses were immense, with about 8,000,000 people killed. Mortality rates rose due to poor hygiene and poverty. Furthermore, as most deaths were young men, there was a significant drop in the birth rate, causing a generation gap.

• Economic Impact

  Europe's economy was devastated and heavily indebted. European countries had received loans from the U.S., which emerged as the new world leader.