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Moroccan Crisis (1905)
International crisis between March 1905 and May 1906 over the status of the African country of Morocco.
Germany attempted to use the issue of independence to increase frictions between France and the United
Kingdom, as well as to advance German commercial interests in Africa. They succeeded in their stated goal of assuring independence, but failed to attract diplomatic support for their positions at the resulting
international conference. The crisis worsened German relations with both France and the United Kingdom,
and helped ensure the success of the new Anglo-French alliance.
Entente Cordiale (1904)
Series of agreements signed on April 8, 1904 between the UK and France, marking the start of the alliance against Germany and Austria-Hungary that fought the First World War. Beyond the immediate concerns of colonial expansion addressed by the agreement, the signing marked the end of almost a thousand years of intermittent conflict between the two states and their predecessors, and replaced the modus vivendi i (signifying an agreement between those whose opinions differ, such that they agree to disagree) that had existed since the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 with a more formal agreement.
Power Keg of Europe
Nickname for the Balkans in the early part of the 20th century preceeding WWI. In this time period there were a number of overlapping claims to territories and spheres of influence between the major European powers such as Russia, Austria-Hungary, Imperial Germany, and to a lesser degree, the Ottoman Empire, Great Britain, and Italy. . In addition to the imperialistic ambitions and interests in this region, there was a growth in nationalism with the indigenous peoples of this region leading to the formation of the independent states of Greece, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Romania.
Bosnian Crisis (1906)
October 6, 1908, Austria-Hungary announced the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, territories formally within the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire. This unilateral action—timed to coincide with Bulgaria's declaration of independence (October 5) from the Ottoman Empire—sparked protestations from all the Great Powers and Austria-Hungary's Balkan neighbors, Serbia and Montenegro. In April 1909 the Treaty of Berlin was amended to reflect the fait accompli and bring the crisis to an end. The crisis permanently damaged relations between Austria-Hungary on the one hand and Serbia and the Russian Empire on the other. The Italian historian Luigi Albertini regarded it as laying the grounds for World War I. Although the crisis ended with what appeared to be a total Austro-Hungarian diplomatic victory, Russia became determined not to back down again and hastened its military build-up. Austro-Serbian relations became permanently stressed.
Second Moroccan Crisis (1911)
Also known as the Agadir Crisis, it was the international tension sparked by the deployment of a substantial force of French troops in the interior of Morocco in April 1911. Germany reacted by sending the gunboat Panther to the port of Agadir, on July 1, 1911. France subsequently established a full protectorate over the African country (March 30, 1912), ending what remained of that country's formal independence. Rather than scaring Britain into turning toward Germany, increased fear and hostility drew Britain closer to France. British backing of France during the crisis reinforced the alliance between the two countries (and with Russia as well), increasing Anglo-German estrangement, deepening the divisions which would culminate in World War I.
First Balkan War (1912)
Conflict which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, comprised actions of the Serbia, Greece, Montenegro and Bulgaria against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success. As a result of the war, the allies captured and partitioned almost all remaining European territories of the Ottoman Empire. Ensuing events also led to the creation of an independent Albanian state. Despite its success, Bulgaria was dissatisfied over the division of the spoils in Macedonia, which provoked the start of the second war in the region.
Second Balkan War (1913)
Conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the first regional war, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on June 29, 1913. Serbian and Greek armies repulsed the Bulgarian offensive and counter-attacked, entering Bulgaria. With Bulgaria also having previously engaged in territorial disputes with Romania, this war provoked Romanian intervention against Bulgaria. The Ottoman Empire also took advantage of the situation to regain some lost territories from the previous war. When Romanian troops approached the capital Sofia, Bulgaria asked for an armistice, resulting in the Treaty of Bucharest, in which Bulgaria had to cede portions of its first regional war gains to Serbia, Greece and Romania. In the Treaty of Constantinople it lost Edirne to the Ottomans.
Conscription
The compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. It dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to present day under various names. The modern system of near-universal national service for young men dates to the French Revolution in the 1790s, where it became the basis of a very large and powerful military. Most European nations later copied the system in peacetime, so that men at a certain age would serve 1-8 hears on active duty and then transfer to the reserve force.
Schlieffen Plan
-created by General Count Alfred von Schlieffen in December 1905
-operational plan for a designated attack on France once Russia, in response to international tension, had started to mobilize her forces near the German border
-led to Britain declaring war on Germany on August 4th, 1914
-the chief of the German General Staff believed that the most decisive area for any future war in Europe would be in the western sector. Here, he identified France as Germany's most dangerous opponent. Russia was not as advanced as France in many areas and Russia would take six weeks to mobilize her forces and that any possible fighting on the Russian-German border could be coped with by the Germans for a few weeks while the bulk of her forces concentrated on defeating France. He concluded that a massive and successful surprise attack against France would be enough to put off Britain becoming involved in a continental war. This would allow Germany time to transfer soldiers who had been fighting in the successful French campaign to Russia to take on the Russians.
1) a devastating attack on France via Belgium as soon as Russia had announced her intention to mobilize 2) a holding operation on the Russian/German border to be carried out if necessary and if required
3) Germany had 6 weeks to defeat France
4) Germany would then use her modernized rail system to move troops from the French operation to the Russian front
5) Russia would then be attacked and defeated.
Plan XVII (1913)
The French war plan had been presented to the French War Board in 1913 by General Joffre (who, as Commander-in-Chief, led the successful French counter-attack at the Battle of the Marne in September 1914).
1) it was based on French commitment to offensive action against Germany (regardless of the manner in which war began or where the main German assault occurred)
2) it grossly underestimated the strength of Germany's army in the field because it ignored German use of reserve troops
3) it misjudged the direction of Germany's initial assault - Joffre expected the main German attack in Alsace-Lorraine; he did not foresee the strong German rightwing strike through Belgium at the very beginning of hostilities.
July Crisis
A diplomatic crisis among the major powers of Europe in the summer of 1914 that led to World War I. Immediately after Gavrilo Princip, a Yugoslav nationalist, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, in Sarajevo, a series of diplomatic maneuverings led to an ultimatum from Austria-Hungary to the Kingdom of Serbia, and eventually to war.
Colonel Apis ("The Bee")
Serbian colonel who was a leading member of a military group that organized the overthrow of the Serbian government in 1903. He personally organized and participated in the coup against King Alexander and his wife Queen Draga that resulted in their murders, though he was not present when they were killed. He was also the leader of the Black Hand group responsible for the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria in June 1914. The latter triggered the July Crisis which led to the outbreak of World War I.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke of Austro-Hungarian Empire, and from 1896 until his death, heir presumptive to the AustroHungarian throne.
He advocated granting greater autonomy to ethnic groups within the Empire and addressing their grievances, especially the Czechs in Bohemia and the south Slavic peoples in Croatia and Bosnia, who had been left out of the Austro-Hungarian compromise of 1867. Yet his feelings towards the Hungarians were less generous, often described as antipathy. He also advocated a careful approach towards Serbia - repeatedly locking horns with Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf, Vienna's hard-line Chief of the General Staff, warning that harsh treatment of Serbia would bring Austria-Hungary into open conflict with Russia, to the ruin of both Empires.
Gavrilo Princip
Bosnian Serb and Yugoslav nationalist associated with the movement Mlada Bosna (Young Bosnia) which predominantly consisted of Serbs, but also Bosniaks and Croats, who assassinated the Archduke of Austria and his wife, Sophie, in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914. He and his accomplices were arrested and implicated by several members of the Serbian military, leading Austria-Hungary to issue a démarche to Serbia. This was used as pretext for Austria-Hungary's invasion of Serbia, which then led to World War I.
Black Hand
Secret military society formed on September 6, 1901 by members of the Serbian Army of all in the above Kingdom of Serbia. It was formed with the aim of uniting all of the territories with majority South Slavic population not ruled by the Kingdom of Serbia or Kingdom of Montenegro in the manner of earlier national unification processes, primarily Italian in 1870 and German in 1871. Through its connections to the June 1914 assassination of the Archduke in Sarajevo, which was committed by the members of youth movement Young Bosnia, it is often viewed as having contributed to the start of World War I by precipitating the July Crisis of 1914, which eventually led to Austria-Hungary's invasion of the Kingdom of Serbia.
"Blank Cheque"
Term used to describe how Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany told Austria-Hungary officials that they could deal with Serbia however they wanted after Serbian Nationalists assassinated the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, the Archduke. This immediately preceded World War I.
Ultimatum
Demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a threat to be followed through in case of noncompliance. It is generally the final demand in a series of requests. As such, the time allotted is usually short, and the request is understood not to be open to further negotiation. The threat which backs up the demand can vary depending on the demand in question and on the other circumstances. The term is used in diplomacy to signify the final terms submitted by one of the parties in negotiation for settlement of any subject of disagreement. It is accompanied by intimation as to how refusal will be regarded
Élan vitale
The preference of attack at the expense of prudent defense. Deficiencies in sound planning and tactical considerations could be overcome with sufficient enthusiasm and vigor.
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