Why did Germany attack France in August 1914?

Question

Why did Germany attack France in August 1914?
and
How do you account for Britain's entry into a war that had been triggered by an assassination in a Bosnian town that few Britons had even heard of in July 1914?
Thanks I'm really stuck on these History Questions, any help would be much appreciated!

Answer 1

Germany's ally, Austria-Hungary, attacked Serbia in retaliation for a Serbian nationalist's assassination of the heir to the A-H throne. Russia began mobilizing its army to attempt to deter A-H from attacking Serbia, because Russia wanted to protect Serbia for domestic political reasons (both countries were largely Slavic and Orthodox Christian). This threatened Germany, which was not willing to let Russia gain the upper hand by preparing its army for war faster than Germany, so Germany demanded that Russia stop mobilizing, but it was considered too late to halt the process.



Because Russia and France were allies, Germany had developed the war plan of attacking and defeating France first, because they were smaller and faster to mobilize. This was Germany's only war plan and only mobilization plan - they could not prepare their army for war without invading France, via Belgium, because otherwise their entire army would fall into chaos due to the delicate railroad schedules for deployment.



So, Germany mobilizing their army in response to Russian mobilizing their army automatically required a German invasion of France, via Belgium.

Answer 2

Germany supported its ally Austria against Serbia,which meant war with Russia (a supporter of Serbia).



Russia and France were allies,which meant Germany had to fight a 2 front war



Germany had a plan to deal with this - the Schlieffen Plan.It called for an invasion of France through neutral Belgium,which would outflank the main French armies and allow the Germans to capture Paris,thus knocking France out of the war quickly.The German army could then be sent east to fight the large and scary (as it seemed in 1914) Russian army.Hence,the German attack on France.



Britain was guarantor of Belgian neutrality under the 1839 Treaty of London.If Germany occupied the whole of Belgium and knocked France out the war quickly,they would have control of Channel and North Sea ports that could potentially be used to invade Britain from later.Britain wanted to prevent this,so used the 1839 Treaty of London as a pretext for declaring war on Germany when they invaded Belgium.

Answer 3

For the European countries involved, a "fuse" was lit, running round them. Austria declared war on Serbia over the Sarajevo assassination - Serbia, threatened by a powerful enemy, invoked its Treaty with Russia - Austria, now faced by a powerful enemy, invoked its Treaty with Germany - Russia, now faced by a more powerful enemy, invoked its Treaty with France ....... Germany, to get its nearest enemy out of the way, then attacked France.

Unlike the European Powers, Britain had no Treaty obligations which required it to "take sides" when the war broke out. From historical precedent, it would seem most likely that its sympathies would be with the Central Powers, once Austria had brought Germany into the conflict, but that its interests would be best served by avoiding direct involvement, and letting the Europeans "fight it out amongst themselves".

That, however, was not how Britain saw it.

The unified Germany was the old ally, Kingdom of Prussia, but "writ large". Its rapid and efficient industrial development was already challenging Britain's manufacturing supremacy, its consequent requirement for secure sources of raw materials meant that it was building up an overseas Empire in East and South-West Africa and the Pacific, and, most challenging of all, it was building a powerful Navy to protect its trade routes, with modern warships, which outclassed many of those in the Royal Navy.

An "identical twin" was appearing, and there wouldn't be room in the world for both.

So, if a war with Germany was inevitable, then better now, with Allies, and while the German Navy was still in its infancy.

But, in the absence of any Treaty obligation, a pretext was needed, and this was found in a century-old Agreement between Britain, France and Prussia that, in any future European conflict, the neutrality of war-torn Belgium would be preserved. So, when Belgium refused a German request to allow the passage of its troops to attack France, and the German Army proceeded to force its way through regardless, this was the "scrap of paper" which, in July 1914 - and to the amazement and horror of the German Ambassador - Britain used to justify its involvement - on the French side !

And that, of course, brought in the world-wide Empire ......

Answer 4

Germany, the growing power of middle Europe, was wary of the renewed strength of France and of its alliance with the Russians, threatening the German empire on both sides, and thought it was now while it was still the strongest or never be able to get rid of that double threat. It had developped a strategy, conceived by the former chief of staff of the German army, Alfred von Schlieffen, for a two-front war against France and Russia. And on the way it intended to snip off some of the best industries of France (metal and coal in the north) and ask for another huge ransom and ruin France for another few years (see 1870 war), destroying that annoying new industrial power.



Next door the Austria -Hungarian empire was running into trouble, and the bigger trouble makers were the Serbs who were agitating and making a lot of trouble in the whole empire, helped in that by the Russians. Austria knew its power was weakening steadily and thought this was now or lose its hold on central Europe forever. So German and Austrian Empires thought it was a good idea to ally.



Great Britain did not like to see the growing power of Germany, especially on the sea, and breaking with blood bond (royalties were cousins) and tradition they allied with the French, both to have a strong ally in Continental Europe and a friendly land that would serve as a shield against a German attack.



The declining Ottoman empire wanted to get back at Russia and thought it a good idea to court the German Empire.



So when the Austrian Archduke was murdered by a Serb the Austrians took advantage of that to turn on the Serbs. When the Austrians threatened the Serbs the Russians, allied to the Serbs, declared they would intervene, the Germans said they would help the Austrians, signed an alliance with the Ottoman Empire against Russia and declared war to the Russians, and the French caught by their alliance with Russia were dragged in the mess and said they would not stay neutral. Which meant that Germany put in action the Schlieffen plan.



Then...



Germany invaded Luxembourg, ordered Belgium to surrender and declared war to France who declared war right back. This threat to Belgium, whose perpetual neutrality had been mandated by a treaty concluded by the European powers - including Britain, France and Germany - in 1839, united a divided British government in opposition to German aggression. Great Britain declared they would protect Belgium's neutrality and when Germany invaded Belgium declared war, dragging in automatically the rest of the Commonwealth (Canada, Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa). Then Austria declared war to Russia and Serbia, France declared war to Austria, then Great Britain declared war to Austria. And then Japan declared war to Germany.



The rest is history.

Answer 5

There was a lot if tenton between the European countries to start with. The Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand was more of an excuse to go to war. And because of all the alliances made almost of Europe followed into war. Germany attacked France because they were at war they didn't just attack them out of the blue

Answer 6

try Google or better still read a book:)