The Alliance System
The Bismarckian system was successful in
keeping the peace but it collapsed when he
was dismissed by Kaiser William II in 1890.
• Three Emperors’ League (1873): Bismarck formed an
alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia to
combat the radical and nationalist movements. It collapse
following the Russo-Ottoman War of 1877-1878
• Central Powers (1879): To deter French revenge following
the Franco-Prussia war, Bismarck established a military
alliance with Austria-Hungary
• Triple Alliance (1882): Italian rage following France’s
seizure of Tunisia led Italy to join with Germany and
Austria-Hungary
• Bismarck made sure to maintain good relations with both
of France’s possible allies
• Britain by not advocating German imperialism in Africa,
• Russia by negotiating the 1887 Reinsurance Treaty
• Dual Alliance (1894): Following the dismissal of Bismarck,
France was able to court Russia by extending military and
industrial loans which soon led to the formation of the
Dual Alliance
• Ethnic connections between Germany and Britain were
undermined by economic competition as Germany
industrialized and by aggressive acts of the Kaiser.
• The Kaiser’s plan to expand Germany’s navy made the
British very nervous
• As a result, Britain recognized the need for alliances
• Got on better terms with the U.S.
• Signed a treaty with Japan in 1902
• Agreed to an entente with France in 1904
• Entente Cordiale (1904): the peaceful agreement over
control of the Sudan (Fashoda Affair) between Britain and
France laid the foundation to the Entente Cordiale
• Triple Entente (1907): Britain and Russia settled differences
over spheres of influence in Persia and China which
completed the Triple Entente.