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Mounting tensions
Student worksheet
Slow burner: a heightened sense of international tension

War is merely the continuation of politics by other
means’, Carl von Clausewitz wrote around 1830. A
lot of ‘politics’ had been happening in the sixteen
years previous to the start of World War One.
International diplomacy had been used over and
over again to reduce the tension and to keep the
peace. Yet, in 1914 war was started anyway. Why
did the peace fail then? What made the situation
1914 different from that of previous years?
In the description above it is assumed that something must have been different in Europe
in 1914 in comparison to previous occasions. The result was different at least: after
keeping the peace time and again, now a war was started.
To get to an understanding why in one situation diplomacy suffices, while in another
people decide to go to war, you’ll need to do a comparison.
In this activity you will do just that: you will pair up with a fellow student and together
you will compare the situation in 1914 with the situation in previous years. Using several
line graphs you will analyse the development of the international tension in different
regions of Europe between 1898 and 1914. With this information you will formulate an
answer to the central enquiry question: Why did the peace fail in 1914?
Step 1: Teaming up
Get into pairs.
As a pair:

Discuss the enquiry question and your preconceptions about why World War One started
in 1914.
Step 2: Mapping the international relations

A: Read through the list of events on worksheet 1 and for each individual relation
between two countries draw a line between those two in worksheet 2.

B: Interpret your connecting graph. Which countries were the most connected? Which
countries were the least connected? What does this mean for international relations
between 1898 and 1914?
Step 3: Grading international relations
As a pair:

Provide each of the events on the list on worksheet 1 with a ‘grade’ for tension, for
each of the three regions of Europe.
+3
heavily increased tension between these countries
+2
increased tension between these countries
+1
little increased tension between these countries
0

no tension between these countries
-1
little decreased tension between these countries
-2
decreased tension between these countries
-3
largely decreased tension between these countries
Explain for each of the ‘gradings’ what you based it on.
Step 4: Visualising and interpreting the data
A: As a pair:

Put the ‘grades’ for each of the regions in the corresponding graph in worksheet 3 by
putting dots with the corresponding value in the corresponding year.

Connect the dots in each graph to form three line graphs.

Compare the line graphs and decide if the situation in 1914 contrasts with the earlier
situations.
B: Answer the enquiry question: why did the peace fail in 1914?
Step 5: Sharing
As a group:

Present your findings in a short pitch of your answer to the enquiry question.

Compare your findings to those of the other groups. What are the biggest differences
and similarities between your graphs? How has this effected the answers to the enquiry
question?
Step 6: Reflecting
Look back at the entire enquiry process. Describe for step 2, 3, 4 and 5 what they
constituted to your understanding of the start of World War One.

Make note of how you approached each step (2, 3, 4 and 5).

Make note of what (new) insight each step (2, 3, 4 and 5) gave you.

Discuss with your neighbour the use of graphs as a visual representation to facilitate
comparing and contrasting historical situations and phenomena.
Worksheet 1 International tension in Europe 1898 – 1914 (1/3)
Date
July
1898
May
1903
Situation
Britain and France came close to war
when colonial rivalry was inflamed by
the Fashoda Incident, when Capt
Marchand led a French force into
Sudan. There were rumours that the
French were considering making an
alliance with Germany against Britain.
Britain’s relations with France were
greatly improved by the success of King
Edward VII’s state visit to Paris. This
paved the way for the Anglo-French
agreement of 1904 known as the
Entente Cordiale.
February
1904
War began in the Far East between
Japan and Russia, after Japan’s surprise
attack on Port Arthur.
October
1904
Fears were aroused of war between
Britain and Russia after the Dogger
Bank Incident, when British trawlers
were sunk by Russian warships on their
way to fight against Japan, Britain’s
ally.
March
1905
Kaiser Wilhelm II’s provcative visit to
Tangier led to the First Morocco Crisis.
The French army was mobilised ready
for war. France was supported by
Britain.
September
1905
The American President, Theodore
Roosevelt, mediated between Japan
and Russia at Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, ending the Russo-Japanese
War.
Relations
between
Britain,
France and
Germany
Relations
between
Russia,
Germany and
AustriaHungary
Relations
between the
Balkans,
AustriaHungary and
Russia
Worksheet 1 International tension in Europe 1898 – 1914 (2/3)
Date
Situation
April
1906
An international conference at
Algeciras in Spain, atternded by all the
European powers, settled the First
Morocco Crisis and reduced
international tensions.
August
1907
Anglo-Russian Entente settled
differences between the two powers
and enabled the formation of the Triple
Entente with France.
October
1908
There were renewed fears of war in the
Balkans when Austria-Hungary annexed
Bosnia-Herzegovina, leading to furious
protests from Serbia, Croatia, Russia
and the Ottoman Empire. Austria was
strongly supported by warlike
statements by the German Kaiser.
March
1909
The Bosnian Crisis was ended by the
decision of Serbia to accept the
annexation of Bosnia after Russia
backed down from open conflict with
Germany.
July
1911
In May 1911 the French occupied
Morocco on the pretext of suppressing a
rebellion against the sultan. The
decision of Germany to send a gunboat,
Panther, to Agadir caused a second
damgerous crisis over Morocco, with
both France and Britain putting their
navies on full alert ready for war.
November
1911
The Agadir Crisis was resolved by
lengthy French-German negotiations to
agree new borders.
October
1912
The Ottoman Empire was invaded by
the forces of the Balkan League:
Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria and
Greece. There were fears that this First
Balkan War might spill over into a
general European war.
Relations
between
Britain,
France and
Germany
Relations
between
Russia,
Germany and
AustriaHungary
Relations
between the
Balkans,
AustriaHungary and
Russia
Worksheet 1 International tension in Europe 1898 – 1914 (3/3)
Date
Situation
May
1913
After intensive mediation by the Great
Powers, the First Balkan War was ended
by the Treaty of London.
June
1913
The peace terms of the Treaty of
London led to conflict between Serbia
and Bulgaria over control of Macedonia.
This led to the Second Balkan War when
Bulgaria invaded her former allies.
August
1913
Bulgaria’s lack of success against her
former allies led to her accepting the
offer of peace negotiations. The Second
Balkan War was ended by the Treaty of
Bucharest.
June
1914
July
1914
The heir to the Austro-Hungarian
throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was
assassinated in Sarajevo by Bosnian
Serb terrorists of the Black Hand
movement. This led to a major
international crisis as Austria-Hungary
blamed Serbia and threatened
retaliation.
It was widely expected that an
international conference would be
held, possibly in London, to resolve the
tensions between Austria-Hungary,
Serbia and Russia. Many leading
statesmen decided to take their usual
summer holidays. BUT….
Relations
between
Britain,
France and
Germany
Relations
between
Russia,
Germany and
AustriaHungary
Relations
between the
Balkans,
AustriaHungary and
Russia
Worksheet 2: International relations 1898-1914