France and Germany
Key Facts
Until 1871 France had been the strongest military power in western Europe.
Napoleon and Louis XIV had conquered large parts of Europe
In 1871 France had been badly defeated by the Germans.
The Prussians had besieged Paris forcing the inhabitants to eat rats
The French had lost Alsace and Lorraine to Germany
The French had never accepted this defeat
From time to time after 1871 Bismarck would stir up trouble by warning about a French war of revenge
Read pages 6 and 7 and answer these questions-
Why did the French feel humiliated by the events of 1870-71?
What was the attitude of the French to the Germans (source I)?
What did the French lose to the Germans in 1871?
What had happened to German, French and British production of steel between 1890 and 1910/
Why was that significant for military power?
What happened to the French and German populations between 1890 and 1910?
Why was that significant for military power?
Document Exercise
How typical is source L of French attitudes to Germany after 1871?
Britain and France
Key Facts
Britain and France had been enemies in two previous world wars between 1756 and 1763 and 1792 and 1815
The only empire bigger than the French one was the British
The British and French had quarrels over Egypt, Siam and Canada
Since 1066 France had been England's main European enemy.
Read page 7 of the textbook and answer these questions-
What parts of Africa did Britain own after the "scramble for Africa"?
What parts of Africa did France own after these events?
Where did British and French interests clash?
What does document O say about relations between Britain and France.
Britain, France and Russia
Key Facts
Britain and Russia had been enemies in the Crimean war, 1854 -6
Britain was afraid that the Russians would invade India or seize the Suez Canal
Napoleonic France had invaded and defeated Russia before the disastrous retreat from Moscow in 1813
France was a republic with an elected government
Russia was an Empire and there was no Parliament to control the policies of the Tsar
The Russian secret police and the Cossacks were feared throughout Europe.
Read page 8 and answer this question-
Why did it seem unlikely that France, Britain and Russia would ever unite against Germany?
Quarrelsome Neighbours Help Sheet
France and Germany
Read page 6
Complete the following-
In 1871 France had been defeated by............................................. As a result the
French lost the territories of......................................................................................... They
also had to pay a large sum in.................................................... According to source
I what the French wanted was......................................................
Between 1890 and 1910 the German production of steel went from..........................
to.................................... Steel is important in the making of weapons such as...............
.................................................... and......................................
At the same time the population of Germany went from...................to...................but
the French population only went from................to......................
Document Exercise
Look at source L - What are the children looking at?
What can be seen in the clouds in the sky?
Britain , France and Russia
Read pages 7 and 8 and complete the following-
Britain and France were enemies because they both had colonies in.......................
and they both wanted more. There was nearly war over the town of........................
in the Sudan.
France and Britain quarrelled with Russia because of events in the...........................
and the possible threat to British territory in........................... and British trade
through the....................Canal.
Because of this Bismarck thought it was unlikely that.............................., France and
.................................would unite against...........................