World War One

Triple Alliance: 1882 Italy, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. Bismarck created the German Empire out of “blood and iron”in 1871 and now he wanted to preserve Germany by carefullyshielding her. He created an intricate set of alliances as part ofhis policy of deterrence. The Dual Alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary(1879). In 3 years, Italy joined, creating a Triple Alliance(1882). Each state pledged military support if the others were attackedin war (and their colonies must fight as well).o Bismarck added the Reinsurance Treaty with Russiain 1887 to isolate France but in 1887 Bismarck refused to approve loans so now Russia was also isolated.o Rome (Italy) also made a secret pact with France in 1902, in exchange for gaining territory from Austria.Triple Entente: 1907 agreement between Russia, France, and Great Britain. 1890-1894 France nurtured a closer relationship with Russia, offering loans (400 million) and coordinating military planning.This new friendship became the Franco–Russian Alliance (1894). The German nightmare of a two-front war was nowpossible (France and Russia). Russia pledged to attack Germany if Germany (or Italy) ever attacked France. France agreedto protect Russia from Germany or Austria-Hungary. Russia had interest in the Balkans which drew her into an alliance with Serbia. Russia had close ethnic, religious, and politicalties to Serbia, and agreed to protect Serbians. Britain and France entered into a “friendship agreement” (the Entente Cordiale of 1904) and agreed to settle colonialdifferences (Britain claimed Egypt, France claimed Morocco, gave up fishing rights in Newfoundland, and received territory inSenegal and Nigeria, Britain gave up Madagascar, and both countries defined Thailand). This agreement contained no militarycommitments and allowed Britain to do whatever she wanted to do in Europe. In the 1907 Triple Entente, Britain refused to agree to a binding military action (Britain was scared of commitment…she’d beenhurt before).Britain’s Other Alliances: Britain guaranteed to protect Belgium’s neutrality (since 1839). Britain created an alliance with Japan in 1902 (The Anglo-Japanese Alliance). The Treaty was later used by Japan to seizeGerman colonies in the Pacific. Despite Japan’s successful modernization and growing military power, British banksdowngraded investments in Japan and insulted the Japanese by ranking them equal to China, Egypt, and Turkey. Theagreement fell apart in 1923 (and was viewed as a conflict of interest by the League of Nations). Canada, Australia, and New Zealand were automatically committed to war if the UK should declare war on another country.So once Britain declared war, the result would be a global war.8