Triple Entente Dbq

The alliances of the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente set the stage for the events of WW1 and ultimately the blame for the war. WW1 was a global conflict that lasted from 1914 to 1918. It was the first major international war that involved the countries of Europe, North America, Russia, the Middle East and parts of Asia. In 1917 the European allies consisted of the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente. In the triple Alliances there was Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. In the Triple Entente there was Great Britain, France, and Russia. Alliances and Germany are to blame for WW1 because The Treaty of Versailles,The Century of Total War, Origins of the World War, and The Per Capita Expenditures of Great Powers on Armaments.

The Treaty of

“...The Allied and Associated Governments affirm and Germany accepts the responsibility of Germany and her allies for causing all the loss and damage…” (Document D) This quote from the Treaty of Versailles shows that the parties involved in World War I accepted that the blame for the war and the resulting loss and damage lies with Germany and their allies. This is a clear indication of the role that alliances played in the war, as the conflict was largely caused by the opposing alliances of the Central Powers (led by Germany) and the Allied Powers. By accepting responsibility for the war, Germany and their allies accepted that their alliance was a major factor in causing World War I. “Nevertheless, a European war broke out. Why? Because in each country [of Europe] political and military leaders did certain things which lead to the mobilization [of their armies for war] and [finally] to the declarations of war, or [these leaders] failed to do certain things which might have prevented [the war]. In this sense, all the European countries in greater or lesser degree were responsible [for the outbreak of World War”’ (Document F) The alliances forged by the European powers in

“...The rise of Germany, whose supremacy France dreaded and whose navy menaced Engliand, has created an alliance in which claimed it was defensive in nature but was denounced by Germany propaganda as an attempt at encirclement of germany…” (Document G) The quote from Document G speaks to the fear and mistrust that Germany’s rise to power caused among its neighbors. Countries such as France and England were wary of Germany’s growing naval strength and its potential to threaten the balance of power in Europe. To protect themselves, these countries formed alliances with one another, creating a mix of military and political ties that further increased tensions between them. This in turn made it more likely that a conflict would erupt if one of the countries involved was attacked. By creating alliances, these countries were essentially putting themselves in a position to become embroiled in a conflict if one of their allies was attacked. Document A demonstrates that Germany had the highest rate of increase in weapons spending during World War I. This increase in spending was a big contributing factor to the outbreak of war, as it enabled Germany to build a powerful military that could challenge the