WWI Exam

DO NOT WRITE ON THE EXAM. Answer all questions on a separate lined sheet of paper.

Choose one of the following three questions and answer parts (a), (b), and (c) for the question of your choice. 20 Points Total

1. Look at the graph, and then answer the questions which follow.

(a) What was the Triple Alliance? [5]

(b) Why was the tension between Germany and the Great Powers increased by the arms race of the early-twentieth century? [7]

(c) ‘Morocco posed a greater threat to peace than did Bosnia in the years before the First World War.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [8]

2. Read the extract, and then answer the questions which follow.

German: I wonder what history will make of all this?

Clemenceau: History will not say that Belgium invaded Germany!

From a conversation at the Paris Peace Conference between the French Prime Minister Clemenceau and a German representative.

(a) What was the Schlieffen Plan? [5]

(b) Explain why Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. [7]

(c) ‘The actions of Germany were more responsible for war in 1914 than the actions of any other country.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [8]

3. Read the extract, and then answer the questions which follow.

“There is no comparison between the importance of the German navy to Germany and the importance of our navy to us. Our navy is to us what their army is to them. To have a strong navy would increase Germany’s prestige and influence, but it is not a matter of life and death as it is to us.”

The British Foreign Secretary in a speech to Parliament in 1909.

(a) Describe the part played by Germany in increasing colonial rivalry. [5]

(b) Why did the Alliance System increase the threat of war? [7]

(c) ‘Colonial rivalry was the most important reason for increased Great Power tension before the First World War.’ How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer. [8]

HOW FAR WAS AUSTRIA RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OUTBREAK OF WAR IN 1914?

Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer 2 (TWO) of the questions. You MUST choose question 3 (THREE) as one of the questions to respond to. 20 Points Total

Background Information

On 28 June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian throne, was assassinated in Bosnia. On 28 July Austria declared war on Serbia. By 1 August Germany and Russia were at war, and by 4 August they had been joined by Britain and France. Some historians argue that the assassination was merely the spark that started a war that was inevitable because of the growing tensions between the great powers, the difficult situation in the Balkans and the declining power of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Others have argued that a world war was not inevitable even by July 1914. Instead, they argue that it was the reaction of countries such as Austria to the assassination that brought about a world war. It is claimed that Austria saw this as a good opportunity to deal with Serbia. Other historians have focused more on Germany’s response, while others have argued that Britain must take some of the responsibility for war because it followed a weak and unclear foreign policy.

SOURCE A

On 28 June the heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated in Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia. Some young Serb terrorists had planned to murder him. They had bungled the job, throwing a bomb that missed, and one of them had gone to a cafe in a side street to sort himself out. Later the Archduke went to visit in hospital an officer wounded by the bomb. His automobile moved off, a Count Harrach standing on the running board. Its driver turned left after crossing a bridge. It was the wrong street, and the driver was told to stop and reverse. In reverse gear such automobiles sometimes stalled, and this one did so – Count Harrach on the wrong side, away from the cafe where one of the assassination team was calming his nerves. Now, slowly, his target drove up and stopped. The murderer, Gavrilo Princip, fired. He was later imprisoned and died in April 1918. Before he died he was asked if he had any regrets that his deed had caused a world war and the death of millions. He answered: if I had not done it, the Germans would have found another excuse. In this, he was right. Berlin was waiting for ‘the inevitable accident’. The army had been saying for some time that it could win a European war then and there. It was, the German emperor said, ‘Now or never’. War was to be provoked, and the murder of the Archduke provided a perfect occasion.

From a history book published in 2007.

SOURCE B

Of the six conspirators, five failed to do anything. Cabrinovic was regarded as the least reliable and had only been given a bomb at the last moment. He asked a policeman: ‘Which is His Majesty’s car?’ The policeman helpfully told him. He then threw his bomb. The bomb landed on the back of the Archduke’s car, bounced off, and exploded under the next car. Princip, hearing the explosion, left his post and saw Cabrinovic being taken away. He sat down in a cafe, contemplating suicide. The Archduke decided to visit the wounded men in hospital before going to the museum. The procession would therefore drive straight down the quay instead of turning into the old town. Count Harrach, who had lent his car to the Archduke for the day, stood on the running-board to ward off any further bombs from the river side. The drivers had not been told of the change of plan. The first two cars turned into the old town. The Archduke’s driver followed them. Potiorek, the governor-general, called out: ‘Stop! You are going the wrong way.’ The driver stopped and began to reverse. Princip was sitting in the cafe exactly at this corner. To his astonishment, he saw the Archduke immediately before him. He pulled out his revolver. A policeman tried to strike his hand and was kicked on the knee by a friend of Princip’s who was standing close by. Princip fired twice. One shot hit the Archduke, the other hit the Archduke’s wife. An imperial power must do something when the heir to its throne is assassinated. That was obvious to everyone in Europe. The Habsburg monarchy had been losing prestige for a long time. Now it had a wonderful chance to assert itself. Serbia’s real crime in Habsburg eyes was to exist. The Serbs could not be exterminated. Humiliation of Serbia was the only answer. If the Habsburg monarchy displayed its might, it would restore its prestige.

From a history book published in 1969.

SOURCE C

A British cartoon published in 1914. Austria is saying ‘That settles it! Now I shall be under the painful necessity of punishing you.’

Now answer 2 of the 3 following questions (You MUST answer Question 3). You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition to those sources which you are told to use. In answering the questions you should use your knowledge of the topic to help you interpret and evaluate the sources.

1 Study Sources A and B.

How similar are the accounts in these two sources? Explain your answer using details of the sources. [8]

2 Study Source C.

What is the message of this source? Explain your answer using details of the source and your knowledge. [8]

3 Study all the sources.

How far do these sources provide convincing evidence that Austria was responsible for the start of the First World War? Use the sources to explain your answer. [12]