create a catchy slogan about the events in the balkans

8/14/2019 Create a Catchy Slogan About the Events in the Balkans

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Starter

Create a catchy slogan about the eventsin the Balkans in the lead up to WWI.

Who, in your opinion should the fingerhave pointed at for the outbreak of war?

What are your reasons for this?


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To What Extent wasGermany Responsible for

WWI?


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Learning Objectives:

Assess the contribution of Germany incausing the First World War

Success Criteria:

Assess the contribution of historiansFischer & Ferguson in the debate of

blame for origins of WWI.


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The debate about responsibility beganimmediately after the war had

ended..The Treaty of Versailles blamed Germany for

the outbreak of the war.

How would Germany have reacted to clause231?

Germany published selective documents thatpushed the blame for the war onto other

shoulders.By the late 1930s many accepted Lloyd

Georges words of slithering over the brink.


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Franco German HistoriansCommission

This belief lasted until after the Second World War.

In 1951 a group of French & German historians metin a Franco-German Historians Commission. One ofthe subjects discussed was the outbreak of the First

World War.

Their conclusions were accepted by most historiansfor the next 10 years. They were determined tobuild a peaceful relationship between France &

Germany.


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Source

The documents do not permit attributing aconscious desire for a European War to any onegovernment or people. Mutual distrust had hit apeak, and in leading circles it was believed that

the war was inevitable. Each one accused theother of aggressive intentions, and only saw aguarantee for security in an alliance system andcontinual armament increases.

From the Franco-German Historians Commission 1951


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Question

The history textbooks in France &Germany in the 1950s & 60s werebased on the line expressed by the

Franco-German HistoriansCommission.

In your opinion, was that lineaccurate?


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Key Term

Historiographical Revolution

Turning points in the writing of historywhen new ideas are put forward that

change how people think. Theseideas can constitute a revolution in

the writing of history.


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The Fischer Controversy

In 1961, a German historian, FritzFischer, launched a historiographicalrevolution. In his book Griff nach der

Weltmacht, which became abridgedinto the English version Germanys

Aims in the First World War (1967)

Fischer came to several conclusions:


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Germany had gone to war to achieve

Europe & Worldwide domination verysimilar to that aimed for by Hitler and theNazis in the Second World War; it was a bidfor power.

Germany had hoped that the blankcheque given to Austria in July 1914 wouldresult in war.

The root cause of German expansionism

were to be found as much in the social,economic and political tension in Germanyin the period pre-1914


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Sensational views.

From what you know, how far do youagree with Fischer?


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Fischers evidence

Fischer based his evidence partly on a document found in theGerman archives written by Bethmann-Hollwegs privatesecretary Kurt Riezler on 9th Sept 1914 in which he outlinesthe Chancellors plans for the peace negotiations, which heexpected to take place in the near future. Fischer argued thatthese plans were the continuation of policy made by

politicians, military leaders and industrialists before theoutbreak of war in 1914. The plans were not just the ideas ofBethmann-Hollweg or even the leading political, military andindustrial figures of the day. To Fischer, these plans had thesupport of the wider political nation. To Fischer the plans inthe 9th Sept programme represented

a complete revolution in European political and powerrelations.

The logic was clear: plans for annexation that were beingwritten down in Sept 1914 did not come from nowhere theymust have been already considered in July 1914. Therefore,Germany was not the victim but the perpetrator of war.Fischers thesis broke new ground in other ways:


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It placed Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg at the centre of the drive forexpansion.

It removed the distinction betweenthe expansionist military and the

supposedly more moderatepoliticians.

It linked foreign and domestic policy

by suggesting that the proposedannexations were seen as a means ofmaintaining domestic dominance.

L k t th f ll i


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Look at the following sourcesand answer the questions

below1. What is the significance of The SeptemberProgramme for Fischer and what areFerguson's criticisms.

2. Who do you believe is right and why?3. Summarise the arguments from all foursources about the extent of Germanblame for the outbreak or war.

4. To what extent do Sources C & D agreewith A & B? Explain your answer fully withreference to the sources and your ownknowledge.


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Fischer Challenged

Fischers analysis brought a great deal of protestHistorians Gerhard Ritter & Egmont Zechlin attacked

Fischer

They objected to Bethmann-Hollweg being central to

the push for warOthers said that there was little evidence for the

outbreak of war being about world power

They believed it was born out of defence rather than

agressionHistorians such as Klaus Hildebrand & Andreas

Hillgruber thought war came about becauseGermany wanted to break her encirclement


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Task

Look at the following sources andanswer the 2 questions.

To what extent do Sources E, F & Ggive the impresion that Bethmann-Hollweg drove the agenda for war?

What other issues are picked up bythese sources?


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War of illusions

In War of Illusions (1969) Fischer made even greater playof the relationship between German domestic tensionsand foreign policy. He argued that:

The German government used war a solution to difficult

internal problems and the idea that there was a strongwill to war.

War in 1914 was a bold leap forward Flucht nach vorn(flight or push forward) to establish German dominanceand to keep domestic peace.

The whole decision making elite had to takeresponsibility for war. Germanys leaders were culturallypeesimistic and needed to break encirclement.


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Fischer used the diaries of AdmiralMuller

In these was a reference to a meeting on8 Dec 1912 of the Kaiser & militaryadvisers

War Council of 1912 was evidence warhad already been decided upon

Fischer said it was only delayed becauseBethmann atated Germany need to

prepare diplomatically and Tirpitzwanted to wait for the Kiel Canal to beopened.


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How Significant was the1912 War Council?

In the winter of 1912:

There was major tension across Europe

Serbia were expanding to the sea alarming Austria,who voiced their opposition

In response Russia began to mobilise and Austriasought support from Germany and Italy

5th December Triple Alliance renewed


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At the war council meeting, the following points weremade:

The Kaiser insited that Autria-Hungary be supported in her

actions against Serbia If Russia decided to fight then so be it. Austria would be

supported by Turkey, Romania, Bullgaria & Albania, whichwould leave Germany free to deal with fRance on land & Britainat sea

Moltke (TMS) thought that war against Russia was inevitableand the sooner the better

Tirpitz suggested that the navy needed another 12 to 18months to prepare the fleet and for the Kiel Canal to haveopened to allow large German Naval vessels passage from theBaltic into the North Sea.

But while many historians praised much of what Fischer had tosay in War of Illusions, there has subsequently beenconsiderable debate about the importance of the so-called WarCouncil of 8 December 1912.


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Task

Look at the following 3 sources (H, I & J)

Discuss as a group, the amount of weight we

should give to the war council.

Does it show that Germany was ready to go towar or was it just a meeting at a time of

diplomatic exceitement.

create a catchy slogan about the events in the balkans

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