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World War 1: Alliances
Kyra Chan, Rachel Koh, Jeff Lu, Jae Jin Shin, Chris Tang
What is an
Alliance?
●
A union or association formed
for mutual benefit, especially
between countries or
organizations
●
Political coalition or agreement
●
Usually signed by a treaty, but
not always
Dual Alliance 1879
-Dual Alliance: 1879 treaty between Germany and Austria-Hungary, made by Germany’s chancellor
Otto von Bismarck.
Dual Alliance was Bismarck’s attempt to protect Germany from the threat of Russia and France
-Austria-Hungary and Germany promised to help each other militarily if either were attacked by
Russia but to maintain 'benevolent [friendly] neutrality' towards each other if either were attacked by
another power.
-Austria-Hungary promised to remain neutral if France attacked Germany, both were enemies at the
time.
-The treaty was a secret but other great powers suspected it from the start. Austria-Hungary and
Germany had made a defensive agreement, making them permanent allies.
Impact of the Dual Alliance
The Three Emperors’ League 1881
-Bismarck had broken his own principle of always being one of three. 'Nobody wishes to be in a
minority. All politics reduce themselves to this formula: to try to be one of three, as long as the
world is governed by an unstable equilibrium [balance] of five Powers.'
-If Germany were only to be one of two, it was always possible that at least two of the other
great powers could get together and attack Germany.
-The Three Emperors’ League: revived in 1881, between Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary
-Each of the three countries promised to remain neutral if one of them were involved in a war
with a fourth country.
-Bismarck had now succeeded in making Germany both one of two and one of three at the same
time.
-Germany gained security, allowing Bismarck to dominate European politics
The Reinsurance Treaty 1887
-By 1886, the Three Emperors' League was abolished, due to renewal problems in the Balkans.
-Russia wanted to reassert its influence over Bulgaria and the Balkans, possibly by war, but
Austria-Hungary, who was related to the Balkan affairs since 1878 and had control over
Bosnia-Herzegovina, would not tolerate any Russian action.
-Russia wanted to have an alliance with Germany, so that Berlin could restrain Vienna in the
Balkans. Without Berlin behind it, Austria-Hungary lacked the strength to fight Russia.
-In 1887, Bismarck (Germany) was able to get the Russia to sign the Reinsurance Treaty.
-Both countries promised to remain neutral if the other were engaged in a war.
-The treaty did not apply if Germany attacked France or if Russia attacked Austria-Hungary.
-Germany was back to being one of three.
Triple Alliance
●
Hungary-Austria
●
Germany
●
Italy
The Triple Alliance 1882
-In 1882, Italy joined Germany and AustriaHungary in what came to be called the Triple
Alliance.
-Allowed Germany to gain a Mediterranean
ally against France.
-The threat of an Italian attack against
Austria-Hungary was eradicated.
Bismarck’s Fall in Power 1890
-After the death of William I in 1888, William II
replaced the throne and kicked Bismarck out of his
authority because he thought that the alliance treaties
he signed were too complicated and inefficient.
William II wanted to make an alliance with Britain.
-Bismarck fell from power in 1890 and his successors
were not competent in renewing treaties, allowing
Russia to slip out of Germany’s control.
-It was a big mistake for Germany to let go of all their
treaties and alliances
-Germany lost power and control over other countries
The Franco-Russian Alliance 1894
-Restored relations between the two
imperial powers
-A response to the Triple Alliance, which had
isolated France
-Provided economic, financial, military
benefits to both signatory nations
-Allowed Russia access to French loans and
French access to Russia’s raw materials
The Entente Cordiale 1904
-The Entente ended a century of
hostility between Britain and France
-Though not a military alliance, it
was seen as a first step towards
Anglo-French Military Alliance
(Alpha History)
-Anglo means belonging to,
involving to, or relating to Britain
and Europe
The Anglo-Russian Entente 1907
-Like the Entente Cordiale, the AngloRussian Entente did not ask for military
assistance
-It only served to ease tensions and
restore good relations between the two
countries
-This Entente was required, as Britain
and Russia had spent much of the 19th
century as antagonists, going to war in
Crimea (1853-1856)
Triple Entente
●
France
●
Russia
●
Britain
The Triple Entente
- Happened 25 years after the Triple Alliance
was created
-Consolidated the Entente Cordiale and the
Anglo-Russian Entente into a three way
agreement
-These ententes were not military alliances
-Marked the end of British neutrality and
isolationism
Rise of WWI 1914
-Serbia’s assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, an heir to the Austria-Hungarian Empire
sparks war in 1914.
-Although the conflict broke out mainly between Serbia and Austria-Hungary, it was the
formation of alliance between numerous European nations, which led to the enlargement of
the war in terms of its scale and conflict.
-Spread of the War due to alliance treaties:
Italy & Germany & Austria- Hungary VS. Serbia & Russia → Russia & France → France &
England → England & Japan → colonies of England: Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand,
and Union of South Africa
-By 1914, Europe was divided into two power blocs, the Triple Alliance VS. the Triple Entente.
Map of Europe 1914
Alliances
Impact of the Alliances and Power Blocs
-In the 1890s, the alliances were stable, but the European pre-war alliance system
evolved.
-The alliances’ ‘balance of power’ that existed among the European states no longer
became even.
-The alliances were supposed to provide countries with security, but they started to
influence the way the balance of power operated, increasing mutual fear.
-This contributed considerably to the division of Europe into two power blocs.
1870-71: FrancoPrussian war
between Germany
and France
1881: Bismarck
revives the Three
Emperors’ League.
1870s
1879: The Dual
Alliance is formed
between Germany
and Austria-Hungary.
1890: Bismarck’s fall in
power. Germany begins
to lose its power over
Russia.
1880s
1887: The
Reinsurance Treaty is
established between
Russia and Germany.
1882: The Triple
Alliance is formed.
1904: The Entente
Cordiale is
established between
Britain and France.
1890s
1894: The FrancoRussian Alliance is
formed to prevent
isolating France.
1900s
1914: Austria-Hungary
declares war against
Serbia. The rise of WWI
begins.
1910s
1907: The Anglo-Russian
Entente is formed between
Britain and Russia. The
Triple Entente is formed.
1914
Overall impact of Alliance System on
WWI
-Rise of suspicion between European powers avoid them from solving conflicts
preceding the war
-Prepared the European nations for war (Alliances associated with military services
thus arousing war tension)
-Chain effect of a small conflict escalating to a larger war
-Germany feels threatened by the Triple Entente
Works Cited
http://alphahistory.com/worldwar1/alliances/
http://global.britannica.com/event/Triple-Alliance-Europe-1882-1915
http://www.funfront.net/hist/wwi/alliance.htm#franco_russian
https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~raina20s/ww1/causes.htm
Origins of the First World War - Primary Source activities