War, Revolution and Peacemaking
Europe’s Last Summer Questions to Ponder and Things to Know
You are responsible through Part Six—we will start the school year with Part Seven!




Prologue

• Changes the First World War led to? 
• University student responses to events that led to the First World War? 
• Life for average Europeans in the summer of 1914?

Chapter 1: Empires Clash 

• In the beginning of the 1900’s, what was the commonly held belief for how a country should obtain wealth and power? 
• What was the Empire conflict in Germany?

Chapter 2: Classes Struggle 

• What new conflicts did the Industrial Revolution bring to Europe?

Chapter 3: Nations Quarrel 

• What was the rival to socialist internationalism? 
• How did xenophobia impact Europe 100 years ago?

Chapter 4: Countries Arm 

• Henry James—his quote 
• Helmuth von Moltke’s quote 
• Henri Bergson’s elan vitale 
• Count Alfred von Schlieffen 
• The “Moltke Plan” 
• Kaiser Wilhelm II 
• Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf

Chapter 5: Zarathustra Prophesies 

• Friedrich Nietzsche 
• A.J.P. Taylor’s (IMPORTANT HISTORIAN TO REMEMBER!) quote 
• What view about governments that is taken for granted today was not necessarily true 100 years ago?

Chapter 6: Diplomats Align 

• Relationship between Kaiser Wilhelm II and Czar Nicholas II

Chapter 7: The Eastern Question 

• Otto von Bismarck’s famous quote

Chapter 8: A Challenge for the Archduke 

• Archduke Franz Ferdinand—what was his plan when he became emperor?

Chapter 9: Explosive Germany 

• Otto von Bismarck’s plan for a unified Germany 
• What was the pre-World War One German military budget? 
• What kind of person was the Kaiser? What impact may that have had on international relations? 
• Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz 
• The role of Alsace and Lorraine 
• What was the contradiction about Germany 100 years ago?

Chapter 10: Macedonia—Out of Control 

• The Young Turks

Chapter 11: Austria—First Off the Mark 

• Think back to Bismarck’s quote about the Balkans! 
• Chancellor Theobald von Bethman Hollweg 
• What was the significance of Moltke’s pledge to Austria-Hungary?

Chapter 12: France and Germany Make Their Play 

• Role of Morocco in European tension? 
• The Panther 
• David Lloyd George 
• Winston Churchill 
• Sir Edward Grey 
• Prime Minister Herbert Asquith 
• Raymond Poincairé

Chapter 13: Italy Grasps; Then the Balkans do too 

• Serge Sazonov

Chapter 14: The Slavic Tide 

• Why did the Kaiser call a secret conference on Dec. 8, 1912? What was its significance?

Chapter 15: Europe Goes to the Brink 

• Events of 1908-1913—what were the major changes on the face of European politics? 
• What do you think “twaddle” means?

Chapter 16: More Balkan Tremors 

• Count Leopold von Berchtold 
• What was the relationship between the Kaiser and Franz Ferdinand like? 
• What secret truth is there about the politics of 1914?

Chapter 17: An American Tries to Stop It 

• Colonel Edward House—what kind of man was he? 
• What was the relationship between Woodrow Wilson and House? 
• What was General von Moltke doing while House was in Europe?

Chapter 18: The Last Waltz 

• How did Countess Sophie Chotek von Chotkova und Wognin influence events in Europe?

Chapter 19: In the Land of the Assassins 

• Gavrilo Princip 
• The Black Hand (Ujedinjenje ili Smrt –Union or Death) 
• Prime Minister Nicola Pasic

Chapter 20: The Russian Connection 

• Was there a Russian connection in the Sarajevo assassination?

Chapter 21: The Terrorists Strike 

• Reality is often stranger than fiction. This chapter provides a compelling argument.

Chapter 22: Europe Yawns 

• How did Europe react to the news of the assassination? 
• The notorious Caillaux affair (Mme Caillaux)

Chapter 23: Disposing of the Bodies 

• Why was the burial process shortsighted?

Chapter 24: Rounding up the Suspects 

• What was Kaiser Wilhelm’s reaction to the assassination?

Chapter 25: Germany Signs a Blank Check 

• Why did Vienna believe Princip had committed the perfect crime? 
• Why did Fromkin end the chapter with the “check” sentence?

Chapter 26: The Great Deception 

• What was the “great deception?”

Chapter 27: Berchtold Runs out of Time 

• “Oh what a tangled web we weave…..”

Chapter 28: The Secret is Kept 

• What is wrong with Italian diplomats?

Chapter 29: The Fait is not Accompli 

• Why was the fait not accompli? 
• What problem in 1914 kept Britain from focusing on the crisis in the Balkans?

Chapter 30: Presenting an Ultimatum 

• What dilemma faced Nicola Pasic in the summer of 1914? 
• Why did Russia see itself as vulnerable? 
• Influences on Czar Nicholas II?

Chapter 31: Serbia More or Less Accepts 

• How did Serbia “more or less accept?” 
• What were the diplomatic moods around Europe at the end of July, 1914?