AQA GCSE History: Conflict and tension, 1894–1918

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BA Conflict and tension: The First World War, 1894 - 1918

In this wider world depth study module, students will explore and come to understand the complex and diverse interests of the Great Powers and other states that provided fertile ground for tension and hostilities. It focuses on the causes, nature and conclusion of the First

World War and seeks to demonstrate how and why tensions escalated and conflict broke out, and why it proved so difficult to bring one of the deadliest wars of the modern era to a conclusion. This study also explores the roles and actions of key individuals and groups in shaping change and how they were affected by and influenced international relations.

This module consists of three parts detailed below:

Part one: The causes of the First World War

Themes explored include:

  • The Alliance System: the Triple Alliance; Franco-Russian Alliance; relations between the ‘Entente’ powers; the crises in Morocco (1905 and 1911) and the Balkans (1908–1909), and their effects on international relations.
  • Anglo-German rivalry: Britain and challenges to Splendid Isolation; Kaiser Wilhelm’s aims in foreign policy, including Weltpolitik; colonial tensions; European rearmament, including the Anglo-German naval race.
  • Outbreak of war: Slav nationalism and relations between Serbia and Austria-Hungary; the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo and its consequences; the July Crisis; the Schlieffen Plan and Belgium; reasons for the outbreak of hostilities and the escalation of the conflict.

Part two: The First World War: stalemate

Themes explored include:

  • The Schlieffen Plan: the reasons for the plan, its failure, including the Battle of Marne and its contribution to the stalemate.
  • The Western Front: military tactics and technology, including trench warfare; the war of attrition; key battles, including Verdun, the Somme and Passchendaele, the reasons for, the events and significance of these battles.
  • The wider war: the war on other fronts; Gallipoli and its failure; the events and significance of the war at sea, including Jutland, the U-Boat campaign and convoys.

Part three: Ending the war

Themes explored include:

  • Changes in the Allied Forces: consequences of the Bolshevik Revolution and the withdrawal of Russia on Germany strategy; the reasons for and impact of the entry of the USA into the war.
  • Military developments in 1918 and their contribution to Germany’s defeat: the evolution of tactics and technology; Ludendorff the German Spring Offensive; the Allied advance during The Hundred Days.
  • Germany surrenders: impact of the blockade; abdication of the Kaiser; armistice; the contribution of Haig and Foch to Germany’s defeat.

Resource Examples

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This module download also includes the following teaching resources:

  • L6 Belgian Army Tactics (pdf)
  • L6 Belgian Reaction To The Schlieffen Plan Chart (pdf)
  • L20 Ludendorff S 100 Days Offensive (pdf)
  • L20 Wwi Animation- Canada S Hundred Days August 1918 (mp4)
  • L16 Impact Of Russia S Withdrawal From Wwi On Germany (pdf)
  • L20 The Hundred Days Offensive 5 Minute History Documentary (mp4)
  • L11 Weapons Card Sort (pub)
  • L18 The German Spring Offens (mp3)
  • L3 The Assassination Of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Newspaper (pdf)
  • L8 Trench Warfare Source Activity (pptx)
  • L8 Trench Diagram To Label (pdf)
  • L20 Ludendorff S 100 Days Offensive (docx)
  • L4 Anglo-German Naval Race Stick In Sheet (pdf)
  • L17 Us Entry Into Ww1 (mp4)
  • L6 Belgian Army Tactics (docx)
  • L18 Ludendorf And The Spring Offensive (pdf)
  • L2 Wilhelmine Foreign Policy (pdf)
  • L2 Wilhelmine Foreign Policy (doc)
  • L6 Belgian Reaction To The Schlieffen Plan Chart (docx)
  • L17 Arrival Of The American (mp3)
  • L9 Life In The Trenches (pdf)
  • L18 Ludendorf And The Spring Offensive (docx)
  • L17 World War One 4 Why Did The Usa Enter Wwi (mp4)
  • L9 Life In The Trenches (doc)
  • L5 The Schlieffen Plan (pdf)
  • L3 The Assassination Of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Newspaper (docx)
  • L8 Comparing Sources On Trench Warfare (pdf)
  • L11 Weapon Chart (pdf)
  • L13 War At Sea (mp3)
  • L16 Impact Of Russia S Withdrawal From Wwi On Germany (docx)
  • L8 Trench Warfare Source Activity (pdf)
  • L4 Anglo-German Naval Race Stick In Sheet (docx)
  • L10 Conditions In The Trenches Information For Group Work (pdf)
  • L19 Trench Life (mp3)
  • L12 Resources (pdf)
  • L8 Trench Diagram To Label (docx)
  • L21 Germany At The End Of Wwi (pptx)
  • L3 Wwi Timeline Chart (pptx)
  • L13 The War At Sea (pdf)
  • L13 Jutland (mp3)
  • L17 Us Entry Into Wwi (pptx)
  • L8 Comparing Sources On Trench Warfare (pptx)
  • L5 The Schlieffen Plan (docx)
  • L10 Conditions In The Trenches Information For Group Work (doc)
  • L11 Battle Scenarios (doc)
  • L13 The War At Sea (docx)
  • L12 Resources (pptx)
  • L3 The Assassination Of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Cartoon (mp4)
  • L8 Trench Warfare (pptx)
  • L13 The War At Sea (mp4)
  • L9 Reality Of Trench Warfare (ppt)
  • L11 Weapon Chart (pptx)
  • L14 Gallipoli (mp3)
  • L11 Battle Scenarios (pdf)
  • L3 Colonial Tensions And European Armament (pptx)
  • L11 Weapons Card Sort (pdf)
  • L10 Conditions In The Trenches Chart (pdf)
  • L12 Battle Of The Somme Verdun (pptx)
  • L14 Gallipoli (pptx)
  • L10 Conditions In The Trenches Chart (docx)
  • L11 New Weaponry (pptx)
  • L5 Alliance System (pptx)
  • L3 Wwi Timeline Chart (pdf)
  • L1 Alliance System (pptx)
  • AQA GCSE History Exam Booklets (2020 & 2021 Syllabus) (zip)