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www.modernhistory.org.uk
Chronology 1882-1914
1882 May
Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy form the Triple Alliance. 1894 Jan France and Russia sign defensive alliance. 1896 Jan 'Kruger Telegram' incident. William II sends a telegram of congratulation to President Kruger of the Boer Republic on the failure of the Jameson raid on the Transvaal. Widely interpreted in Britain as an antagonistic act. 1898 Mar-Apr Anglo-German negotiations for agreement to resist Russian expansion in the Far East break down. Sept British forces under Kitchener and French expeditionary force under Marchand confront each other at Fashoda in the Sudan. After a period of great tension between the two countries a compromise is reached allowing the French to withdraw.
1899
Mar Anglo-French agreement over their spheres of influence in Africa.
France is excluded from the Nile valley but is allowed to consolidate
its position in northern-west and Saharan Africa. May-July The Hague Peace Conference fails to achieve agreement on disarmament. Oct Outbreak of Boer War increases British diplomatic isolation. 1900 June Second German Naval Law. 1901 Mar-May Franco-German negotiations for an alliance breakdown. 1902 Jan Great Britain and Japan sign defensive alliance. 1904 Apr Entente Cordiale. Great Britain and France sign agreement on colonial disputes. 1905 Feb-July First Morocco crisis. William II intervenes in Moroccan affairs, a French area of influence. Germany fails to obtain international support but France agrees to an international conference.
1906
Jan-Apr Algeciras conference provides peaceful
settlement of
the Moroccan crisis, but increases German
isolation. During the crisis France and Britain hold military talks
including a commitment for a British expeditionary force to be sent to
the continent. 1907 June-Oct. Germany rejects any scheme for disarmament at the second Hague Peace Conference. July Triple Alliance renewed for six years. Aug Britain and Russia sign a convention; Britain, France and Russia are known as the Triple Entente.
1908
Oct Austria-Hungary
annexes Bosnia-Herzegovina: Russia backs down from intervention. 1909 Jan Agreement made for international exploitation of Moroccan mines. Feb France and Germany sign an agreement recognizing France's political rights in Morocco in return for economic equality. 1911 July 1 Second Morocco crisis. German gunboat, the Panther, arrives in Agadir. July 4 Germany warned of Great Britain's concern for Moroccan question. July-Nov Talks between France and Germany result in end of crisis. Germany recognizes the French protectorate in Morocco (11 Oct.) while France signs agreement to pay compensation to Germany. Sept 28 Italy sends ultimatum to Turkey not to resist troops sent to Tripoli in Libya. Sept 29 Italy declares war on Turkey; Italian forces bombard Tripoli and make landings. Nov 5 Italian Prime Minister declares Tripoli annexed. 1912 Feb Haldane mission to Germany fails to end naval race. Mar Germany publishes third Naval Law. Apr 18 Italian fleet bombards Turkish forts in the Dardanelles. Sept Serbia, Montenegro, Greece and Bulgaria form Balkan League against Turkey. Oct 6 Major powers back French proposals to avert Balkan War. First Balkan War Oct 8 Montenegro declares war on Turkey. Oct 12 Turkey refuses to undertake reforms in its Balkan territories proposed by great powers. Oct 17 Turkey declares war on Bulgaria and Serbia. Oct 18 Italy and Turkey sign peace treaty at Lausanne leaving Tripoli and Cyrenaica under Italian suzerainty. Oct 24 Turks suffer defeats by Bulgarians at Kirk-Kilisse and by the Serbs at Kumanovo. Nov 5 Greeks take Salonica. Dec 3 Armistice between Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro. Russia and Austria-Hungary mobilise. 1913 1913 Jan 6 Peace conference between Turkey and Balkan states suspended. Mar Greeks take Janina; Adrianople surrenders to Bulgarians. Apr 15 Turks and Bulgarians cease fighting. Apr 22 Austria-Hungary moves forces to near Montenegrin border. May 30 Preliminaries of peace signed between Balkan States and Turkey. May 31 Serbs and Greeks sign secret military convention against Bulgaria. June Germany makes fiscal provisions to double the strength of her army. Second Balkan War June 30 Fighting breaks out between Bulgaria and her former allies.
End of Balkan Wars Sept 30 Treaty of Constantinople between Turkey and Bulgaria ends second Balkan War. 1914 1914 June 15 Anglo-German agreement on Baghdad Railway and Mesopotamia. June 28 Archduke Francis Ferdinand assassinated by Slav extremists at Sarajevo. July 23 Austria-Hungary sends Serbian government a ten-point ultimatum demanding firm steps to suppress anti-Austrian activities by Slav extremists and (clause 6) participation of Austrian delegates in official inquiry into the assassination. July 24 Russian government declares it will defend Serbia against Austro-Hungarian attack. July 25 Serbia makes conciliatory reply to Austrian ultimatum, but will not accept clause 6 as contrary to the constitution. Austria-Hungary finds the reply unsatisfactory and mobilises against Serbia. July 26 Grey's proposal of an international conference to settle the Austro-Serbian dispute is rejected by Austria-Hungary and Germany. Austrian forces mobilise on Russian frontier. July 28 Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia. July 30 Russia begins general mobilisation. July 31 Germany demands that Russia cease mobilisation. Aug 1 Germany declares war on Russia; France mobilises. Italy declares her neutrality. German-Turkish treaty signed. Aug 2 Germany occupies Luxembourg and sends ultimatum to Belgium demanding passage for her troops. Russians invade East Prussia. Aug 3 Germany declares war on France and begins invasion of Belgium. British ultimatum to Germany. Aug 4 Germany declares war on Belgium; Britain declares war on Germany. Aug 5 Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia. Aug 10 France declares war on Austria-Hungary. Aug 12 Britain declares war on Austria-Hungary.
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