Key Facts

In 1903 the pro Austrian Serbian King Milan and his wife Queen Draga had been brutally stabbed to death by anti Austrian Serbian army officers and replaced by the anti Austrian King Peter.

After 1908 Austria was determined to crush Serbia and the Germans were prepared to help.

The Russians were determined to help the Serbs after the humiliation of 1908.

In 1909 Britain and France signed the secret Military Agreement and in 1912 they signed the secret Naval Agreement.

In 1911 Italy seized Libya and the Dodecanese Islands from the Turks.

In 1911 Britain and France nearly fought Germany over events in North West Africa - the second Morocco crisis.

In 1912 Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece defeated Turkey in the

In 1912 Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Montenegro defeated Turkey in the First Balkan War.

The Treaty of London created Albania, much to the anger of Serbia which still had no outlet to the sea.

In 1913 Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece quarrelled over Thrace and the Second Balkan War broke out.

Bulgaria was defeated and as result Turkey regained land she had lost in 1912.

On June 28th 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand visited Sarajevo.

Read pages 22 to 23 and answer these questions-

What plans were the Austrians making by 1909?

What mistakes were made over Russia's attitude to Serbia?

What was the Russian response to the Austro-German moves?

What promises did the French make to the Russians?

What gains did Serbia make in 1913?

Why did this make the Austrians more alarmed?

How did the Kaiser encourage Austrian hostility to Serbia?

What mood were the Serbs in by 1914?

Document Exercise
How useful is document I (page 22) as evidence of German intentions?

Preparing For War - Help Sheet

Read pages 22 to 23 and complete the following-

In 1909 the German general and Chief of Staff, Count...................................

wrote to the Austrian general................................. ............. ..........................

He said that Austria would eventually lose patience with the..............................

Then.......................................will attack Serbia.

If.................................were to come to Serbia's aid then the Germans were

prepared to help......................... This would mean attacking.......................and

.......................

The Russians were determined to help the................................ and asked for

help from Britain and...........................

The French told the Russians in 1912 that they would help if................................

intervened in the Balkans.

In 1912 and.............. Serbia gained more and more land.

The Austrians were now afraid that they would never be able to ................Serbia.

In 1913 the Kaiser said that if the Austrians wanted anything and the Serbs

refused then Belgrade should be.......................Also the Germans would............

the Austrians.

The Serbs were in a defiant mood. As the Serbian Prime Minister is supposed to have

said..........................................................................................................