HISTORY – FIRST WORLD WAR
STD.8
Q.I. Answer the following questions in brief:1) When did the First World War break out?
Ans. The First World War broke out in 1914.
2) What was the immediate cause of the First World War?
Ans. Archduke Francis Ferdinand who was the heir to the Austrian throne, was assassinated at Sarajevo
in Bosnia on 28th June, 1914 by a Serbian. The assassination was organised by secret society called
‘Black Hand’ or ‘Union of Death’ formed by extremist Serbian nationalists whose aim was to unite
all Serbians into single Serbian State.
Austria served an ultimatum on Serbia on 23rd July making eleven demands .Serbia accepted
most of the demands except those that would have led to the loss of her sovereignity.
3) How was aggressive nationalism a cause for the First World War?
Ans. Aggressive nationalism meant love for one’s own country and hatred of the other countries. Each
nation thought about its own national interests and did not care for the interests of the other
nations. For example, France wanted to get back its provinces of Alsace and Lorraine from
Germany. Similarly, Italy wanted to get back the territory of Trentino Trieste from Austria and
Balkan States like Serbia wanted that their fellow nationals (Slavs) who lived in other States should
come together to form a greater Balkan State. These countries developed expansionist policies in
the name of nationalism.
4) Explain the contribution of ‘Race for Armaments’ to the First World War.
Ans. Every major power began stockpiling of armaments in the name of self-defence and preservation
of peace. As a result, if one country increased its armaments other countries were compelled to do
the same.
5) Name the countries that formed the:
- Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy.
- Triple Entente: France, England, Russia and Japan joined later.
Q.II. Structured questions:
(1) Various events led to the First World War.
– In this context, explain the following:
a) Division of Europe into 2 hostile groups.
- Two kinds of states existed in Europe in the early 20th Century, single nation states like France,
Holland & Germany whose national identities were based on their common language and traditions.
On the other hand there were imperial states like the Austria-Hungarian Empire & the Russian Empire.
- The Austria-Hungarian Empire was run by the Hapsburg Dynasty and the Hungarian, Serbian, Bosnian
and Croatian population who spoke different languages and had different cultural traditions, while the
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Russian Empire was run by the Romanov dynasty and had Polish, Ukrainian, Turkish & Mongol
population.
(2) The underlying cause of the First World War was the rivalries and conflicts among
imperialist countries.
– In this context answer the following:
a) What steps did Germany take to protect her colonies in Africa and in the Pacific?
- Germany began to build a powerful navy to achieve parity (equality) with Britain.
- They left Britain & France behind in the production of iron and steel.
- One of its ships, the Imperator was the largest in the world. The Germans dug the Kiel Canal deeper so
that battleships could enter its waters.
(3) When, where & by whom was the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary assassinated?
Ans. On the 28th of June, 1914, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian-Hungarian throne was
assassinated at Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia by extreme Serbian nationalists called ‘Black Hand’
or ‘Union of Death’.
(4) What was the Sarajevo crisis?
Ans. - On the 28th of June, 1914, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian-Hungarian throne
was assassinated at Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia by extreme Serbian nationalists called ‘Black
Hand’ or ‘Union of Death’.
- Austria served an ultimatum on Serbia on 23rd July making 11 demands. Serbia accepted most of
the demands except those that would have led to the loss of her sovereignty.
(5) State the terms of the treaty of Versailles.
Ans. i) The Treaty of Versailles declared Germany guilty of aggression.
ii) Germany was required to pay for the loss & damages suffered by the Allies during the war. The
amount of reparations was fixed at 33 billion dollars. Germany had to cede (surrender) her merchant
ships to the Allies as compensation. Germany had to supply huge quantities of coal to France, Italy &
Belgium for ten years.
iii) The German Army was restricted to a force of 1, 00, 000 soldiers and the Navy was limited to
15,000 men and 24 ships. The Air Force and submarines were banned.
iv) The area of Rhine Valley was to be demilitarized and the German territory west of Rhine was to be
occupied by the Allied troops for 15 years.
v) Germany lost Alsace Lorraine to France; Eupen-et-Malmedy to Belgium, Schleswig to Denmark.
Danzig became a Free Port in the Polish territory.
vi) Germany ceded parts of her pre-War territory to Denmark, Belgium, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and
France.
vii) The coal mines in the German area called Saar were ceded to France for 15 years and the area was
to governed by the League of Nations.
viii) Germany lost all her colonies to the victorious Allies – Britain, South Africa and Portugal.
ix) German colonies in the Pacific and the areas under her control in China were given to Japan. China
was aligned with the Allies during the War but her areas under German control were given away to
Japan.
x) The Treaty affirmed the complete independence of Belgium, Poland, Czechoslovakia and
Yugoslavia.
xi) The Covenant of the League of Nations was added to the Treaty of Versailles.
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(6) Which 3 ruling dynasties were destroyed after WWI?
- The Romanov- Russia
- The Hohenzollern – Germany
- The Hapsburg – Austria- Hungary.
(7) Why did U.S.A enter the war?
- In 1915, the German U – boats had sunk a British ship Lusitania. Among the 1153 passengers killed,
128 were Americans. The Americans were generally sympathetic to Britain, and this incident further
roused anti – German feelings in the U.S.A.
- The allied powers (Britain, France, Russia and their allies) had vast amounts of loans in the U.S.A to
pay
for the arms and other goods bought by them.
- Therefore the U.S.A feared that if Germany won the war, she would become a serious rival to the
U.S.A
(7) Why was the League of Nations established?
Ans. The League of Nations was created as a world organisation of all independent states in 1920.
It was established to promote cooperation, to achieve peace and security and to guarantee the
independence of all states.
(8) What are the aims and objectives of the League of Nations?
Ans. - All the states of the world were prohibited from entering any secret treaties and alliances.
- Member states were not supposed to maintain huge armies, warships and destructive armaments.
- All states were to respect each other’s independence.
- Mutual disputes between states were to be referred to the League of Nations for a peaceful settlement.
- The member-States were to take necessary action as directed by the League against any State which
tried to disturb world peace and order.
- The League of Nations was to promote cultural, social and economic co-operation among member
states.
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