TTC【双语字幕版】：西方文明的基础（S02E32：一战前的政治集团（1872-
Alliance System
Bismarck's diplomacy aiming to isolate France
Three Emperors' League in 1872: Germany, Russia and Austria
Treaty of San Stefano, 1878
Kaiser William II
Russia was kicked out of the league
France and Russia formed a defensive alliance.
Britain signed an alliance with Japan in 1902.
Entente Cordiale 1904
Triple Entente 1907: France, Britain, Russia
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian throne, with his wife Sophie, to Sarajevo
Balkan
the occupation of Bosnia by Austria
a greater Serbia
The Black Hand
Nikola Pasic 1845-1926, prime minister warned Austrian government of a possible assassination but Austrians didn't get the hint.
Gavrilo Princip 1894-1918
Aftermath of the assassination:
The Blank Check
The alliance system plunged all of Europe into war.
Austrians issued ultimatum to the serbs.
Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28th of July 1914.
Russia mobilized its army against Austria on 29th.
Germany declared war on Russia on August 1st.
France informed Germany that it would stand by its alliance with Russia.
British and Italians hesitated initially.
Germany invaded Belgium.
Rape of Belgium 1914
Britain joined the war to defend the principle of neutrality.
Thus the Great War had begun.
Most of Europeans welcomed the war at first.
- Relief
- Nationalism
- Amnesia leading to war fever (they had no clue of a modern 20th century warfare. The last general European war ended in 1815.)
- Malaise (Some people thought that Europeans had grown soft and decadent because of science, atheism, and social problems. They viewed war as an invigorating cure or a purging fire. )
