Completing the House of Cards BISMARCK COMPLETES HIS ALLIANCES

Eliminating the Two-Front War  BISMARCK WAS ABLE TO REDUCE THE FEARS OF A TWO-FRONT WAR WHEN HE SIGNED THE REINSURANCE TREATY WITH RUSSIA.  THE TREATY WAS DESIGNED TO HELP BISMARCK OVERCOME TWO PROBLEMS.  THE FEAR OF BEING DRAGGED INTO A WAR IN THE BALKANS REGION. BOTH RUSSIAN AND AUSTRIA-HUNGARY EXPECTED GERMANY TO SUPPORT THEM IN CASE OF A WAR.  IF RUSSIA DID NOT FEEL THAT GERMANY WAS A SUPPORTER OF THEM, SHE MIGHT LOOK TO THE FRENCH FOR SUPPORT, AND THE FEAR OF A TWO-FRONT WAR WOULD BE A POSSIBILITY.

How to Play One Foe Against Another  RUSSIA WAS VERY PARANOID ABOUT THE DUAL ALLIANCE.  SHE BELIEVED THAT THE ALLIANCE WAS DIRECTED AT HER.  THEREFORE, RUSSIA APPROACHED BISMARCK AND REQUESTED AN ALLIANCE.  BISMARCK TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOLVE HIS PROBLEMS.  IN CREATING THE TREATY, HE WAS CLEVER ENOUGH TO INCLUDE AUSTRIA-HUNGARY IN THE DEAL AS WELL. RUSSIA AND AUSTRIA-HUNGARY WERE RIVALS IN THE BALKANS

How Bismarck Did It  BISMARCK FORCED THEM TO WORK TOGETHER.  THIS CLEARED UP THE PROBLEM OF BEING DRAGGED INTO A BALKAN WAR.  THE TREATY STATED THAT IF A COUNTRY WERE TO ATTACK ONE OF THE MEMBERS, THE OTHERS WOULD COME TO THEIR AID OF THE COUNTRY THAT WAS ATTACKED.  THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE TREATY FOR GERMANY WAS THAT IT ELIMINATED A TWO-FRONT WAR.

THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE 1882  THE FINAL TREATY DEVELOPED BY BISMARCK WAS THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE.  ITALY APPROACHED BISMARCK OVER FEARS OF FRENCH EXPANSION IN NORTH AFRICA.  ITALY BELIEVED THAT THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA AND NORTH AFRICA BELONGED IN HER SPHERE OF INFLUENCE  AT THE TIME, HOWEVER, FRANCE WAS EXPANDING HER CONTROL IN THE MOROCCAN AREA OF NORTH AFRICA.

Completing the Isolation of France  THE FEAR OF FRENCH EXPANSION DROVE ITALY TO REQUEST AN ALLIANCE WITH GERMANY.  BISMARCK ONCE AGAIN TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION. BY BRINGING ITALY INTO HIS ALLIANCE SYSTEM  FRANCE WOULD BE ISOLATED FROM ALL POTENTIAL CONTINENTAL ALLIES.  THE FINAL TREATY PROTECTED ITALY FROM FRENCH ATTACK  ITALY WAS ONLY REQUIRED TO FIGHT IF TWO OR MORE COUNTRIES ATTACKED GERMANY OR AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

Bismarck’s Complete Alliance System  THE ONLY COUNTRY THAT REMAINED AS A POSSIBLE ALLY FOR FRANCE WAS ENGLAND  UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE FRENCH, THE TWO COUNTRIES HAD BEEN TRADITIONAL RIVALS FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS AND WERE INVOLVED IN MINOR CONFLICTS OVERSEAS.  FRANCE HAD BEEN SUCCESSFULLY ISOLATED BY THE CREATION OF THE ALLIANCE SYSTEM  THE SYSTEM WAS ELABORATE AND COMPLICATED, BUT BISMARCK HAD ACHIEVED HIS GOALS. GERMANY WAS NOW WELL PROTECTED WITH POWERFUL ALLIES, AND ITS MAIN ENEMY WAS ISOLATED.

The Fall of Bismarck and the Rise of William II  In 1888, the Kaiser (king) of Germany, William I died.  William I, under the guidance of Bismarck, had created a new and powerful German nation.  Upon his death, the role of Bismarck came into question.  Bismarck was getting old and did not see eye-to-eye with the new Kaiser, William II.  He was the grandson of William I, and wanted to quickly make an impression upon Germany and the world.

Throwing Bismarck Under the Bus  William II believed that Bismarck had created two major problems for Germany.  Bismarck's systems of alliances were too complex and needed to be simplified  Russia was a dangerous threat to Germany and did not think that a treaty with her was a good idea  An alliance between Germany and England would be much more powerful.  If he were to become allies with England, he would have to cut Russia out of future alliances  This was necessary because England and Russia distrusted each other, and England did not want to be involved with Russia.

The Rise of Wilhelm II  Bismarck was released from his duties six months after William II came to power  With Bismarck out of the way, William II undertook his own plans for the future of Germany

Making Waves  First, he did not renew the Reinsurance Treaty with Russia.  Russia became very worried by this change in events, and began to look for new allies.  Ultimately, Russia and France were to join forces.

Nation Building and Nationalism  Second, William embarked on his four-point policy to make Germany the greatest nation in the world. This policy included:  1. The creation of a high seas fleet. He wished to build a large, powerful navy that was capable of being a rival to England.  2. Increased spending upon new armaments and equipment to make the German Army the most powerful in the world.  3. The development of a German overseas empire like the one that England had all over the world.  4. Develop an aggressive foreign policy on issues around the world. William II wanted Germany to be seen as a power broker on the international scene.

Germany Looses Control  When William II became Kaiser, Germany held a strong international position and had good relations with most countries.  With the loss of Bismarck, coupled with and the new policies of William II, Germany was to lose its control over European politics.