Society & Politics

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

France

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Corsica in 1769, an island which was owned by France in the Mediterranean he formed the First French Empire which became the strongest military power in the world at the time.

It took six coalitions to beat the First French Empire. All the coalitions had the British Empire against them with the sixth coalition taking the British Empire, Russian Empire, Austrian Empire, Portugal, Sweden and the Spanish Empire. (Some minor Germanic states were involved too.)

After which Napoleon was exiled to an island off the coast of Tuscany. He returned to Paris later on in 1815 which sparked the seventh coalition. The Napoleonic Wars spanned from 1803 to 1815.

The end of the seventh coalition saw to that Napoleon was exiled further from France to the island of Saint Helena.

Germany

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

Germany was formed from the state of Prussia

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

Prussia was hatched from a cannon-ball -Napoleon Bonaparte

Prussia is not a country with an army, but an army with a country

The quotes are correct, the militarism of Prussia was to be feared. Forming the North German Confederation and absolutely crushing France in the Franco-Prussian war 1870-1871 to form the German Empire.

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

The German Empire was a young Great Power which France, Britain and the Russian Empire did not trust.

France wanted to take back Alsace-Lorraine from the newly-formed state which drove them to search alliances with the British Empire and the Russian Empire. The formation of the alliance: Triple Entente.

One of the German Empire's Kaiser's was called Wilhelm II.

His policy of "Weltpolitik" (which surprise, surprise means "World Policy" in German) the famous "place in the sun" meaning the German Empire wanted to be up there with the big boys with a huge empire (France, United Kingdom and the Russian Empire) such policy was a reason for World war 1 (Although we all know that Gavrilo Princip was the reason!)

Russian Federation
A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

Russia seems pretty big today doesn't it?

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

Russian Empire

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

Try it 100 years ago when it was the Russian Empire.

Tsar Nicholas II, the last Tsar was abdicated on February Revolution,1917 (100 years since the February Revolution!)

During this period a Provisional Government was formed which was led by

Alexander Kerensky

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

The Provisional Government was unpopular with the Russian people due to them still fighting in the World War against the Central Powers.

Vladimir Lenin

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

On November 7th the Bolshevik Party seized power on what is called the "October Revolution"

The establishment of the

Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic - RSFSR

This led to the Russian Civil War which was one of the bloodiest civil wars in history.

United Kingdom

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

At one point having the largest empire and being the most powerful nation in the world.

The sun still never sets on the British Empire.

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

Of course this is the empire at it's peak in 1921.

Let's see the evolution of the British Empire

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers

It is truly fascinating how it can grow so fast and disappear so rapidly, we maintain good relations with most former colonies through the Commonwealth of Nations!

As with France and the Russian Empire

the British Empire was also a member of the Triple Entente in World War 1, the start of World War 1 is confusing at first, but it's quite simple.

On June 28th, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated by Gavrilo Princip in Serbia, this enraged the Austria-Hungarian Empire

July 5th, Germany gives assurance of support to Austria-Hungary

July 23rd, Austria-Hungary sends an ultimatum to Serbia. Serbia does not accept the terms.

July 28th, Austria Hungary declares war on Serbia

August 1st, Germany declares war on Russia, Italy declares their neutrality and the Ottoman Empire and Germany sign an alliance together.

August 3rd, Germany declares war on France.

August 4th, Germany invades through Belgium, this causes the United Kingdom to protest that it is a violation of the Treaty of London 1839.

August 6th, Austria-Hungary declares war on Russia

August 11th, France declares war on Austria Hungary

August 12th, UK declares war on Austria Hungary.

All central powers and entente powers are now at war with each other.

With the victory of WW1, the British aims of the treaty were to punish Germany but not as hard as France did as they wanted to be able to trade with Germany, he wanted Germany to cut their navy down as he did not want any threats against the Royal Navy.

That's all folks.

A Peek Into the History of the Great Powers
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