Understanding the ‘alliance system’ (if you can!) It is important to remember right from the start, that these alliance were complex and that they OFTEN overlapped one another.

 Russia had been allied with Germany and Austria-Hungry in ‘The League of the Three Emperors’ which had been created in 1873 by Tsar Alexander II (Russia), Emperor Franz Joseph I (Austria-Hungry) and Kaiser Wilhelm I (Germany).  Look at your map on page 108 of your text book

 Chancellor Bismarck wanted to use The alliance (The League of Three Emperors) to isolate France diplomatically. France had lost territories to Germany in the Franco-Prussian war and Bismarck was concerned that France would try and regain these areas (Alsace and part of Lorraine).  The League of Three Emperors was not renewed after 1885 (despite Russia’s attempts to have Germany agree to a renewal) because there was growing tensions between Russia and Austria- Hungry.

KAISER WILHELM I CHANCELLOR, OTTO VON BISBARCK

 In 1887, Bismarck signed a secret treaty with Russia called the ‘Reassurance Treaty’. In this, both parties agreed to stay neutral toward each other should war break out. Despite having this secret treaty with Germany, Russia was concerned that it was becoming politically isolated, and so, in 1892 they entered a treaty with France called the ‘Franco-Russian Alliance’. Two year prior to this in 1890 When the new German Kaiser, Kaiser Wilhelm II, had came to power, he stood Bismarck down and let the ‘Reassurance Treaty’ lapse.

 The ‘Duel Alliance, also called the ‘Franco-Russian Alliance, was a political and military pact that developed between France and Russia. While each side had their own reasons for wanting this pact, a central theme was to join together against Germany. Germany assumed that the ideological differences and lack of common ground (France was now a republic and Russia had absolute monarchy, were the Tsar ruled completely, absolutely with no power being given to anyone else), would keep France and Russia apart and so, Germany allowed the ‘Reassurance Treaty ‘ to lapse.

 Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungry had been on the one side but this broke down in Germany and Russia had created separate and secret pacts but they didn’t keep them going. Germany thought they didn’t need to worry about Russia and France getting together because they were SO different but Russia had decide to join up with France because they recognised that Germany was a threat. Italy, Germany and Austria-Hungry had, in 1882, created their own little group, called ‘The Triple alliance’.

 Like Germany, Italy had been formed from a collection of former states. At first, its main concerns were to get its government established. In 1882 Italy joined the German, Austrian-Hungarian alliance to form the Triple Alliance, partly in anger at the French seizure of Tunisia in 1881, which many Italians had seen as a potential colony, partly to guarantee herself support in case of foreign aggression: the main alliance compelled any signatory country to support the other parties if two other countries attacked.  However, Italian public opinion remained unenthusiastic about their country's alignment with Austria–Hungary.

 In the years before World War I many distinguished military analysts predicted that Italy would change sides. This prediction was strengthened by Italy ′ s invasion of Tripoli, bringing it into conflict with the German- backed Ottoman Empire. There is some evidence that Germany and Austria–Hungary did not entirely trust their ally.

 Italy would not continue to become allied with the ‘Central Powers’ as they came to be known. Italy was thought to have an agreement with Great Britain, Britain needed access to the Mediterranean, so that she could access her African and Indian colonies easily. Because Italy is surrounded by the Mediterranean, it could not afford to fall out with Britain. This is thought by many leading historians to be another reason that Italy changed sides.