2. Alliance Systems Pre-WWI

3. First Round of Alliances Designed to stop Revolutionaries First Series: Congress of Vienna –Concert System Holy Alliance –Russia, Austria, Prussia

4. Second Series Revival of Metternichian system Stop Revolutionaries Also made for self-interest purposes (unification movements)

5. Second Round of Alliances 1.Alliances for self-preservation –Economics –Military 2.Balance of Power 3.Imperialist interests

6. Fear and Desire Germany –Fear Encirclement (France, A-H, & Russia) –Baltic Sea Naval Bottleneck possibility

7. Austria-Hungary –Diversity problematic –Backward Agriculturally –Unresponsive Political System

8. Russia –Lack Warm Water Sea Port –Control over Strait of Bosporus (Black Sea)

9. Britain –Protect Overseas Empire –Feared growing naval power of others (Germany mainly)

10. France –Rivalry with Germany –Geographic isolation

11. Three Emperors League (1873- 1875) –Germany, Austria, Russia –Russia got conservative friends –Consult over mutual issues –Friendly neutrality –Isolated France: German-AH friendship –Fell apart over Eastern Question

12. 1 st Major Event Post-Unification: Russo-Turkish War

13. Eastern Question: Balkans Russia wants some Austria wants some Britain thwart Russia France thwart Russia/Austria Germany want to preserve Balance of Power

14. Russo-Turkish War Bosnia-Herzegovina revolted against Turks (1874) Serbia & Montenegro join revolt (1876) Russia doesn’t directly intervene at first (respect 3 Emperors league) Later asked Austria for neutrality if Russia did intervene Austria did not answer at first

15. Russia sends retired generals and $$$ to help Serbs, Bosnians, Herz Conferences held to settle issue: no avail Turks warned to treat Christians better: 1876 Russia (Alex II) pressured to intervene Austria finally approves Russian intervention –Austria get Bosnia-Herz –Serbs freed: Greeks Montenegrins get land –Constantinople free city

16. Russia attacked: 1877 Russia defeated Turks: –Treaty of San Stefano written (Russia/Turk) Britain in Tough Spot –Turks persecute Christians –Yet: Britain needs to protect interests Feared Constantinople free (under Russian influence) Britain’s Suez Canal threatened Britain moved navy: threatened Russia Austria also threatened Russia –Broke promise –Ended 3 Emperor’s League

17. Treaty of San Stefano Russia get control over Turkish land Serbia free Bulgarian state created (Russian influence) Denied Austria land promised to them (Bosnia-Herz) Brit and A-H refused to recognize Treaty New ‘Treaty’ would be made

18. Congress of Berlin: 1878 New ‘treaty’ to be made at Congress of Berlin Many secret deals made prior to Congress –Brit/Russia: Russia lose Med sea port and promise not to instigate anti-British aggression –Brit/Turkey make agreements –Brit/Austrian agreements

19. Bismarck offered to be ‘Honest Broker’ and host the Congress Russian attempt for a Bulgarian satellite thwarted Russian control of Constantinople thwarted Russia abandoned support of Serbian nationalism A-H occupy Bosnia- Herz Britain got Cyprus French moved from Algeria to Tunis Serbia ‘independent’ (didn’t get Bosnia-Herz)

20. Russia felt betrayed by Germany & A-H Serbians unhappy – they got no say in the meeting (interests ignored) Some think Russian displeasure drove Russia closer to France…

21. Dual Alliance 1879 Germany & A-H tighten friendship –A-H and Russia not happy with each other Meant to last 5 years… it lasted until 1918

22. Three Emperor’s League (part 2) 1881 Russia, A-H, Germany re-sign alliance Russia still sought ‘friends’ and saw conservative powers most obvious choice Germany wanted to keep Russia & A-H together Stipulations: –If 1 go to war, other 2 remain neutral –A-H keep rights over Bosnia-Herz

23. Triple Alliance 1882-1914 Italy want empire – looked to Tunis France moved faster and took Tunis 1 st Dual Alliance allowed Italy to join as an anti-French move

24. 1882-1885 France Isolated Germany have deal with 3 of 5 powers (A-H, Russia, Italy) Britain Isolated itself from Continental Affairs

25. Bulgarian Crisis 1885-1887 Bulgaria lost a lot at Congress of Berlin Bulgaria waged war against Serbia & won Russia threatened to invade Bulgaria Britain & A-H forced Russia to diplomatic agreement (stopped Russia from Balkan territorial acquisition) Germany supported A-H Ended 2 nd Three Emperor’s League

26. Reinsurance Treaty 1887-1890 Russia refuse another Three Emperor’s League Signed Reinsurance Treaty instead 3-year term If 1 war, other remain neutral

27. Dropping the Pilot Bismarck very influential with Alliances Successful: –France isolated –Germany allied with most powers –England & Russia oppose each other –Germany in the best position 1890, Kaiser forced Bismarck to resign Bismarck’s work started to unravel… –Did not re-sign Reinsurance Treaty

28. Franco-Russian Alliance Germany trying to get Britain into treaty –Based on heritage: ‘Anglo-Saxon’ –Britain hesitant Russia feeling threatened (no more Reinsurance Treaty) Russia & France opposites –Russian autocracy vs French Republicanism Alliances are not friendships!

29. France loan Russia $$$ French naval fleet visit Russia Russian fleet visit France 1894 Secret Convention: –If Germany attack France, Russia would help –If Germany attacked Russia, France would help France no longer isolated!

30. 1894-1904 Continental Armies relatively equal Alliances ensured future conflict would not be small!

31. Fashoda Crisis 1898 British & French troops face off in Fashoda (Sudan) –Both want the colony) 6-weeks of talks France backed down France realized conflict with Britain not a good idea

32. Boer War 1902 Britain want South Africa –Orange Free State & Transvaal –Lots of gold! Britain controlled Cape of Good Hope Dutch Boers & “Afrikaners” had settled in South Africa 18 th century & rule Orange Free State & Transvaal Brits encouraged an overthrow of government (1895) – failed

33. Britain sent 350,000 troops 65,000 Afrikaners held out 1902 Britain accepted conditional surrender of Afrikaners British troubles in Boer conflict showed they were not invulnerable!

34. Anglo-Japanese Alliance 1902 Britain & Japan signed alliance to thwart Russia Eastern expansion Britain saw it as a way to ensure its colonial interests in the East

35. Entente Cordiale (Dual Entente) 1904 Britain’s troubles in South Africa was an ‘eye-opener’ Britain started seeing the need for friends Friendship, not alliance (technically) –Colonial disputes settled –Britain got Egypt –France got Morocco

36. Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 Russia & Japan went to war Britain kept out because of French intervention Naval battle – Russia lost & Humiliated! Russian Eastern expansion halted Russian 1905 Revolution broke out over this (and other Russian issues)

37. Moroccan Crisis 1905 Germany declared support for Moroccan independence from France International conference held No one supported Germany (saw Germany as a bully) Pushed Britain even closer to France (and Russia) –Set the stage for the Dual Entente!

38. Triple Entente 1907 Russia & Britain settled Mid-East colonial disputes –Persia (Afghanistan) to be divided down the middle –Russia get north, Britain south France, Britain, Russia now in friendship

39. Europe Divided & the Powder Keg Triple Alliance versus triple Entente Eastern expansion halted Western expansion halted Scramble for Africa slowing down Major issue was the disintegration of Ottoman Empire New scramble for territory lay in the Balkans: POWDER KEG OF EUROPE!