Bismarck’s
Foreign Policy
Bismarck’s Foreign Policy Aims
before 1870
- Make Prussian influence greater than Austria’s
amongst the German States (nations – as they
were before 1870)
- Contain the hostility of France (which had
increased as Prussia’s influence over the
German States had increased)
Bismarck’s Foreign Policy Aims
for 1871 onwards
Maintain the status quo (keep things the same):
meaning that:
- his primary aim was to prevent external events
from disrupting what he had achieved
Bismarck’s Foreign Alliances
Three Emperors’ League 1873
- Alliance between Germany, Russia and AustriaHungary.
Dual Alliance 1879
– Germany and Austria-Hungary
Triple Alliance 1882
– Germany, A-H and Italy
Reinsurance Treaty 1887
- Germany and Russia
Bismarck’s Foreign Alliances
Three Emperors’ League 1873
(renewed 1881) - Alliance between
Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary. Goal
of isolating France, who was still upset over the
loss of Alsace-Lorraine and wanted ‘revanche’
against Germany.
12 February 1887
The First Mediterranean Agreement
• (Britain and Italy, subsequently adhered to by
Austria [24 March] and Spain [4 May]) was an
exchange of notes rather than a treaty; terms:
maintenance of the status quo in the
Mediterranean, including the Adriatic, Aegean,
and Black Seas; British and Italian policies to be
mutually supporting in Egypt and North Africa;
the agreement(s) provided a basis for common
action in the event of a disturbance in the
Mediterranean by France or Russia.
Bismarck’s Foreign Alliances
Dual Alliance 1879 – Germany and
Austria-Hungary
– anti-German feelings in Russia following the
1878 Congress of Berlin led to Bismarck wanting
to make Germany’s relations with AustriaHungary more secure.
Bismarck’s Foreign Alliances
Triple Alliance 1882 – Germany, A-H and Italy
When the French occupied Tunisia, Bismarck took
advantage of Italian resentment towards France and
created the Triple Alliance between Germany, Italy
and Austria- Hungary
In exchange for Italy's agreement to stay neutral if
war broke out between Austria-Hungary and
Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary would
protect Italy from France.
Bismarck’s Foreign Alliances
Reinsurance Treaty 1887 - Germany and
Russia
-Russia and Austria-Hungary grew suspicious of
each other over conflicts in the Balkans. Bismarck
repaired the damage to his alliances with a
Reinsurance Treaty with Russia, allowing both
powers to stay neutral if the other was at war.