1879-1914: The Deadly Alliances
In order to understand exactly what went wrong back in the summer of 1914 we will examine the key alliances that occurred between 1879 and 1914. These interlocking "defense" treaties, once tripped, wouldbring the mighty armies together on a collision course that no one could stop.
Please note that not all alliances are listed here. There's too many and this is a history of the First World War, not 19th century Europe.
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1879 to 1918 | The Dual Alliance (ø Document Text) | Austria-Hungary Germany | | Bismarck wanted to protect Austria-Hungary from possible Russian aggression. Relations betweenRussia and Austria-Hungary had soured as a result of Russia attacking Turkey and imposing the Treaty of San Stefano. The Austro-Russian understanding of 1873 had fallen victim to upheaval in the Balkans.
In protecting Austria-Hungary from Russia, Germany was looking out for her own interests. If Austria-Hungary were ever to fall then the Russians would be at the German door. This was an actual defensive alliance on the part of Germany. |
1881 to 1887 | Three Emperor's League (ø Document Text) | Austria-Hungary Germany Russia | | This was an attempt to restore stability to eastern Europe by bringing Russia into the fold of the Dual Alliance. It was not to be successful as Austro-Russian problems flared again with the Bulgarian Crisis of 1886-7. |
1881 to 1895 | Austro-Serbian Alliance
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Austria-Hungary Serbia | | Once again Russia is the motivation for an alliance. This time it is to try to limit possible Russian influence in the Balkans. |
1894 to 1917 | Franco-Russian Alliance (ø Document Text) | France Russia | | This major lasting alliance was the Russian reaction to several events of the day:However by 1895 Germany had realized that it could profit from it's relations with Russia and France, and things settled down among the powers. |
1902 to 1913 | Russo-Bulgarian Military Convention
| Bulgaria Russia | | Bulgaria, newly independent from the Ottoman Empire, allies itself with Russia in an attempt to ward off the possibility of Austro-Hungarian aggression. |
1907 to 1917 | The Anglo-Russian Entente (ø Document Text) | Great Britain Russia | | Great Britain and Russia, having settled their differences, take this final step toward the Triple Entente. |
1907 to 1917 | The Triple Entente
| Great Britain France Russia | | This alliance arose from the prior ententes between these three powers and as a reaction to:- Worsening relations between Germany and Great Britain due to the Naval arms race (see Tirpitz Plan)
- Germany's attempt to exploit the Russian loss of the Russo-Japanese War of 1905
This final alliance drew the lines for the war that would follow. Germany's worst fears of encirclement were realized and a two front war had been made a certainty. |
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