The Moroccan Crises

disclaimer
These are the rambles of a high school student, mostly-regurgitating things from memory/understanding. I claim no 100% historical accuracy blah blah . . . absorb this stuff at your own risk (:

First Moroccan Crisis
1905.
Under the terms of the Entente Cordiale, Morocco was a French sphere of influence. France had the right to intervene if the power of the Sultan of Morocco collapsed.
Germany was Not Happy about the extent of French influence in Morocco.
In March 1905 the German Kaiser arrived in the Moroccan port of Tangier and declared his support for Moroccan independence. The Germans then demanded an international conference to settle the status of Morocco.
The conference took place in Algeciras, Spain, in January 1906. France, with the support of Britain+Italy+Russia+Spain+USA was assured her position in Morocco and granted a dominant role in the administration of Morocco.
The Entente Cordiale was strengthened by this crisis, even though the Germans' intention in kind of starting the whole thing had been to try and weaken the Anglo-French ties of the Entente Cordiale . . . OH SNAP.
And British attitudes to Germany hardened.
And the Brits and French apparently began secret discussions on how to fight Germany in a European war.

Second Moroccan Crisis
1911.
Order broke down in Fez, the Moroccan capital. France sent in troops to protect foreigners. This exceeded the terms of . . . some agreement (the Algeciras one?) . . . and the Germans responded by sending in a gunboat - the Panther.
This overreaction Alarmed people in Europe.
The Germans also laid claim to the French Congo as compensation for French action in Morocco.
Brits were like "no, we're gonna resist German expansionism like this," and readied its fleet for action.
The crisis was eventually calmed.
France ceded a small part of the Congo to Germany.
France still had free reign in Morocco.
AND AGAIN, the Germans didn't gain much and the Anglo-French alliance was strengthened.


MAN THESE THINGS WERE STUPID.