INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UP TO 1914 UNIT 8

INTRODUCTION In 1871, Germany defeats France ending the Second French Empire of Napoleon III and replacing France in the European hegemony which had existed for about a century. With this, and added to the technological and economic growth by the Industrial Revolution, Germany turns into a huge industrial and financial power, and in 1890 it’s industries overcomes Great Britain.

INTRODUCTION This economic expansion puts the German Reich (Empire) in the possibility of competing with any other European nation to gain the control of maximum markets and thus the economic-politic supremacy in the world. For the next 40 years, Germany will become, not only in the continental power in Europe, This economic expansion puts the German Reich (Empire) in the possibility of competing with any other European nation to gain the control of maximum markets and thus the economic-politic supremacy in the world. but also the arbiter of international politics. At the same time, all European nations with great power scare for other nations invasion decide to improve militarily.

INTRODUCTION Otto Leopold Von Bismarck, who was then Prime Minister of Prussia, is appointed by the German Emperor Wilhelm (William) I as Chancellor of Germany, and as such responsible to design a policy that prevents the French retaliation. That is how Bismarckian alliance systems are signed. These systems were a set of diplomatic alliances and treaties aimed to keep the power balance in Europe, such as the advantage of Germany to the other nations since 1871, and thus assure peace in Europe, which would prevail up to 1914 as World War I started. These systems are divided in three episodes.

BISMARKIAN ALLIANCE SYSTEMS The League of the Three Emperors system ( ) On September 1872, three emperors got together: German Kaiser Wilhelm I, Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I, and Russian Tsar Alexander II. The three share a same fear; they worried about France retaliation and rise above to turn their empires down. Thus the three emperors signed a first political and military treaty for a mutual alliance of defense from France.

BISMARKIAN ALLIANCE SYSTEMS The Treaty of Berlin system ( ) The weakness of the first system was set off in 2 occasions. First, in 1875, Bismarck, worried for France economic and military growth decides to consult with the other 2 nations and finds out that none of both would go to war with France. Second, in 1878 during the Congress of Berlin, Russia felt injustice and hate towards Austria and decided to end with the alliance set on 1872.

BISMARKIAN ALLIANCE SYSTEMS Thus Bismarck set up a new system, based on three agreements: the Dual-alliance (1879) among Austria and Germany, which guaranteed mutual assistance in case of a Russian attack, the Secret alliance (1881) among Austria, Germany and Russia, a pact of neutrality in case of attack of other countries and the Triple-alliance among Austria, Germany and Italy, that assured assistance in case that a forth nation attacked or was attacked.

BISMARKIAN ALLIANCE SYSTEMS The third system ( ) the Triple-alliance is renewed and in 1887 the Mediterranean Agreements I and II are signed by Germany, Britain, Austria and Italy, to assure neutrality and military pacts against France and secretly against Russia. On the other hand, Russia was becoming aside year after year and turning more to France, due to her hate towards Austria for the supremacy of the Balkans territory. In 1887, Germany signs an agreement with Russia to guarantee their alliance called Reassurance Treaty. But by 1890, Russia had set apart completely from the League of the Three Emperors and signed an agreement with France in 1892 called the Defensive Alliance.

BISMARKIAN ALLIANCE RESULTS From 1894 to 1897, Britain signed constant pacts with both German and Russia sides, until 1897 with the Anglo-Russia Treaty, the three nations of France, Russia and Britain summed up political powers against German arousal in the Balkans. Thus, in the late 1907 the Triple Entente is formed, later as the First World War started this Alliance is turn to the name of the Allies. Additional to this, Japanese allied to Britain in 1902.

FACE TO FACE TO WW I However a big meal was being cooked as Germany assured power with Austria and Italy. Germany urged on Austria-Hungry Empire to take advantage to invade Herzegovina and the Balkans territories and then get allied with the Ottoman Empire (Turkey, Greece and Persia). With this political tension of a central power growing in Europe the war pressure would suddenly developed the starts of World War I in late summer of This three empire alliance would be known as the Central Power.