Suggest me an essay topic!

**Jolt** · 05-22-2009, 23:01

My teacher imposed the 10 page limit. I originally thought that would be fine but as I went through making a more detailed contextualization, I noticed it would be rather difficult, and tried to do an in focus observation of the system while putting tid-bits of details and opinions. As you can notice, my awesome and in depth description of the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-German War is quite the example of generalization.

Sarmatian, by that I was referring to the Bismarckian attempt to keep France isolated, and keeping Russia and France from allying (Which was what happened in Wilhelm's II rule.), meaning that he would never be able to maintain the network which isolated France indefinetly. Thus, I wonder if Bismarck maintained control over Germany, would have Russia split from the Treaty of Reassurance signed in 1887 to ally with France, or would have kept following Germany. Financial issues may also be behind Russia's departure of Germany for France, since France, isolated as it was, and with Austria and the U.K hostile towards Russia, was the only viable alternative to Germany, and Russia needed foreign investment in its economy, something Bismarck or wasn't very interested in allowing. Since German investment was lacking, Russia might probably have ditched Germany for France even if Bismarck remained as Chancellor.

LG, it means my doubts that Bismarck would have succeeded in dealing with conflicting interests of its own allies, while keeping himself allied to everyone. Austria and Russia disputed the remnants of the Ottoman Empire and the Balkans, Germany had threatened Russia multiple times even by publicizing the Dual Alliance (Which was originally secret), while being at the same time an ally of Russia, against Austria. Then keeping France from allying any European power and attacking Germany due to the revanché. With his allies at odds with one anothers, there would have to come a time that he would have to take sides. And whoever he didn't pick would then go to France, which wanted to attack Germany. In time, nationalism, imperialism, economic and political interests would lead to one side declaring war over the other. So, both. It is disputable that war would be averted (As it wasn't) if the system of alliances failed (As it did).

**Ariovistus Maximus** · 06-02-2009, 04:54

Personally, I think the mess of politics that blew Franz Josef's assassination into WWI is quite thrilling! That'd make quite the study of int'l relations.

**Centurion1** · 06-02-2009, 22:27

The crazy thing about ww1 is the events leading up to it. Franz josef on the grand scheme of things really wasnt as major as it has been made out to seem. Europe at that time was a powder keg and that just lit the fuse
(thats what happens when you stick a bunch of egotistical absolute rulers with modern militaries in a land mass the size or smaller than america)

**Jolt** · 06-03-2009, 00:06

Franz Josef was just a person. While he wasn't important by the time of the assassination, he was the heir to the Austrian Dual Monarchy, and would surely continue the policies of his predecessors in regards to imperialism on the Balkans and expansion against the old Ottoman dependencies. The fact that he was visitting Bosnia goes to show that he viewed the protectorate as a part of his Empire, which would soon incorporate Serbia in the likes of Bosnia.

**Sarmatian** · 06-03-2009, 00:50

Except that Franz Jozef was the emperor and the heir, the fellow who got assassinated, was archduke Franz Ferdinand...

**Jolt** · 06-03-2009, 00:55

Originally Posted by Sarmatian

Except that Franz Jozef was the emperor and the heir, the fellow who got assassinated, was archduke Franz Ferdinand...

Bleh. I always get confused with them Franzs. >_> I was thinking Franz *Insert Random Name here* was the heir of the Austria-Hungary :P

**Ariovistus Maximus** · 06-09-2009, 01:23

I think it's amazing because, like you guys are saying, "Franz" was not really all that significant in the grand scheme of things.

His death was used as a pretext for Austria to steal land.

Austria stealing land was a pretext for Russia to mobilize, because THEY wanted more land.

Russia's mobilization was a pretext for Germany to mobilize, because they'd been scheming for global domination for decades.

And Germany's mobilization scared the French into counter-mobilizing, and also perhaps as a pretext to regain Alsace and all those places they'd been fighting Germany over for how long...

So, in the end, everybody bluffed to get what they wanted, and they each called each others' bluffs, and.......

Truly an unbelievable series of messed-up politics.