5) Foreign policy of Wilhelm II, 1890-1911

Essay practise

2021-09-03T09:42:36+03:00

Question: How fair is it to state that "Wilhelm II destroyed the achievements of Bismarck's diplomacy"?

DEADLINE: 10 Sept 2021 at 8:15 > Return folder in ManageBac

(A) Begin with an introduction to the research question!
* "The aim of the essay is to investigate..."
* "To what extent is it fair to say that...?"
* "It is important to study this (these) question(s) because..."
* Give an ARGUMENT on the question! FOCUS!
(B) Make analysis!
* Introduce evidence on the argument and discuss about the evidence
* Give different points of views; make interpretations
* "On the other hand,...", "However,...", "Moreover,..."
* Use linkages if the command term demands to compare and/or contrast:
- when comparisons/ similarities f.ex.: "Both Lenin and Trotsky...", "In the USSR...; similarly in Mao's China..."
- when contrasts/ differences f.ex.: "After the 1905 Revolution...Whereas/However/But as a consequence of the February 1917 Revolution...)
* Use KEY CONCEPTS of History!
(C) Introduce the conclusion(s) of your analysis!
* "As a conclusion..."
* Answer the question(s)
* Put things in the wider context; introduce the effects in the long run (vs short run)

* There are no exact rules for the certain minimum amount of the words. BUT: Could the essay be analytical enough without at least 500 words?

Essay practise

2021-09-03T08:54:41+03:00

Question: How fair is it to state that "Wilhelm II destroyed the achievements of Bismarck's diplomacy"?

DEDLINE: 10 Sept 2021 > Return folder in ManageBac.

Making of the Triple Entente

2020-04-22T17:03:42+03:00

To what extent did the Triple Entente mark a 'diplomatic revolution'?

Weltpolitik and the European tensions

2021-08-26T13:37:10+03:00

A. After Bismarck: The 'New Course' (1890-96)*

B. Weltpolitik and the End of British Isolation (1897-1904)*

* teacher's power point (below)

C. The Crises and Tension (1905-11)

TASK: Consider, how close did the Great Powers come to war.

C1. First Moroccan Crisis (1905-06)
- Germany's concern about Morocco becoming a French protectorate ('another Tunisia') < against the commercial interests of Germany
> In March 1905, Wilhelm II made an unexpected visit to Tanger for support the independence of Morocco
> Germany demanded an international conference for determine the status of Morocco and 'fair shares for all' (= 'open door' principles) on Moroccan trade
> Possible (even hoped?) war against France
< Russia of that time was a weak ally for France >
> France tried to placate the Germans by a forced resignation of foreign minister Delecasse (the architect of the Entente Cordiale)
> In July France accepted the German demand for conference where the 'security and independence' of Morocco would be decided by international agreement (not by France and Britain alone)
> the Germans speculated that Britain would vote against the French predominance in Morocco which could create Anglo-French tension
< the central (but hidden) purpose of German diplomacy on Moroccan affairs was to disturb the Anglo-French Entente
> Contrary to Kaiser's expectations the British government gave complete support for France at Algeciras conference in 1906
> Germany had to give up
Results:
- France strengthened its position in Morocco
- Instead of weakening, the crisis strengthened Anglo-French Entente: 'Cordial co-operation with France' became a basic principle of British foreign policy
- In Britain considerations about how to aid France if Germany attacked > An option of British military participation in the continent ('Revolution in European affairs')
(During the crisis a new foreign secretary Sir Edward Grey had unofficially and confidentially given a promise that Britain would support France if she were attacked by Germany)
- Moroccan crisis, provoked by Germany itself, was a disaster for its Weltpolitik

C2. The Anglo-Russian Entente (1907)
- Backround: Russia’s defeat in the Far East made it ready for compromises in Central Asia
- Anglo-Russian tensions in Persia, Tibet and Afghanistan were solved (e.g. Persia was divided into three zones)
- The security of India was confirmed (by ‘buffer states’) and (besides of actual agreement) a free passage of Russian warships on the Straits (between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean) was promised by Britain

C3. The Bosnian Crisis (1908-09)
- Austria-Hungary had controlled Bosnia, together with Herzegovina, since the Congress of Berlin in 1878
- The 'Young Turks', the new rulers of Turkey, wanted to restore Bosnia to full Turkish rule
- To prevent this, Austria decided formally annex Bosnia and Herzegovina in the beginning of October
(- The annexation was timed to coincidence with the Bulgaria's proclamation of de jure independence from the Ottoman Empire by Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria, the later 'Tsar' of Bulgaria)
- The Turks demanded compensation for the 'seizure of a Turkish province'
- The annexation both angered Serbia which regarded the Bosnian Serbs as belonging to a future 'Greater Serbia' and made it fear to be the next to be taken over > The Serbs looked to Russia for support (< 'slavophilia')
- Russian foreign minister (suprisingly and without consulting his prime minister!) agreed to the annexation of Bosnia < In return Austria accepted Russia's desire to control the Straits (but didn't keep its promise)
- Austria-Hungary supported by Germany and encouraged by the weakeness of Russia threatened to attack on Serbia
- Russia without support from its Entente partners, Britain and France, couldn't help the Serbs
Results:
- Serbia agreed to 'live at peace' with Austria-Hungary
- Russia felt humiliated, Serbia was embittered
- Co-operation during the crisis strenghthened the Austro-German alliance
- The former Austro-Russian agreement over the Balkans collapsed

C4. The Naval Race

C5. The Agadir/ Second Moroccan crisis (1911)

A pair work:
A: Topic C4 -> page 88
B: Topic C5 -> pages 89-91

Mark Bands for Paper 3

2019-11-15T12:23:50+02:00

	Approach to the Question		Knowledge		Analysis
	Demands of Q	Structure	Knowledge	Concepts	Critical Analysis	Perspectives
0	Not understood	No obvious structure	No obvious knowledge	No relevant examples	No analysis	None
1-3	Little Understanding	Poorly structured, or not focussed on task	Little knowledge present, factual inaccuracies or vague assertions		No critical analysis. Unsubstantiated assertions and generalisations	N/A
4-6	Some understanding	Some attempt at structure but lacking clarity and coherence	Some knowledge demonstrated but inaccuracies/ irrelevancies.	Superficial context	Some limited analysis, but mainly narrative	N/A
7-9	Understanding but only partially addressed	Attempts at structured answer	Knowledge is relevant and mostly accurate. Appropriate examples	Events in context	Mainly narrative but some critical comment, often unsustained	N/A
10-12	Question understood and addressed	Generally well structured. Some lack of clarity	Knowledge is relevant and accurate. Examples are appropriate and support analysis	Events in context and clear understanding of historical concepts	Mainly clear and coherent arguments and critical analysis. Points mainly substantiated and clear conclusion	Some awareness and evaluation of different perspectives
13-15	Clear focus with high level of understanding and implications	Well structured throughout	Knowledge is relevant and accurate. Appropriate and relevant examples used to effectively support analysis.	Clear context and understanding of concepts	Clear and coherent arguments and critical analysis. Points are substantiated and clear conclusion	Evaluation of different perspectives integrated into answer.

"The Daily Telegraph Affair"

2021-08-12T14:48:01+03:00

An interview with the German Emperor Wilhelm II on 28 October 1908

Conceive what is to a Londoner in 1908 to read this interview with the grandson of Queen Victoria...

Documents

2021-08-12T14:48:01+03:00

Kaiser Wilhelm II

(video)

The Daily Telegraph Affair, Oct 1908

The annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Oct 1908

The Anglo-Russian Entente, 1907

The Anglo-French Entente Cordiale, 1904

Bülow's 'Hammer and Anvil' Speech before the Reichstag, Dec 1899