HIST2128
Germany, 1871-1933: From Empire to Republic
Bismarck’s
foreign and colonial policy, 1871-90
Lecture 8
16 January 2012
Three Emperors’ League, Oct 1873
• No revival of Holy Alliance of 1815
• No block formation of G, R, A
= More rivalries than common interests:
• Bismarck: To keep France in check
• Gorchakov: To keep Germany weak
• Andrássy: To keep Germany + Russia apart
War scare, 1875 (1)
• France’s strong efforts to re-militarize:
→ Bismarck’s offer to Russia for political
deal, 1875:
► G’s support of R’s Balkan policy
► R’s support of G’s France policy
• →To outmanoeuvre pro-French Gorchakov
• → To separate Russia from France
• = Gorchakov: Unwilling to give up ‘French option’
regarded as pressure tool vs. Germany +
succeeded in turning public mood vs. Bismarck
War scare, 1875 (2)
Bismarck’s reaction, spring 1875:
• Threatened with preventive war to break-up
Germany’s ‘encirclement’ + launched Is War
in Sight?’press article
• Sent calculated alarm signals to put pressure
on + to intimidate F, R, A
• Predicted a ‘Catholic League’ vs. ‘Protestant
Germany’
War scare, 1875 (3)
Reactions:
• F: No end of militarization program
• R: No separation from but closer contacts
to F + de-facto guarantee for F
= Major defeat of Bismarck
= Irreparable break Bismarck ≠ Gorchakov
= Consolidation of Russia’s hegemony
position in Europe
War scare, 1875 (4)
Consequences for Bismarck:
• To accept political-territorial realities in Europe
• To recognize 1871 status quo as fundament of
policies of R, A, F
• To relinquish unsuccessful tactic of terrorizing
+ beating isolated enemies
• To escape ‘encirclement’ not by intimidation
+ war but by defence + alliance
• To look for support vs. Russia’s hegemony
5 Options
☻ Revitalising Three Emperors’ League: G + A + R
☻ Strong alliance + partnership with R
☻ Huge imperialist compensations for F + R
☻ Waging war against F to reach full hegemony
☺ Sophisticated balancing between and with 5 big
powers → Strategy of alliances
Dual Alliance, Oct 1879 (1)
• Committed G + A to resist R’s aggression
• Entering war for partner only after R’s
aggression
= Cornerstone + ‘landmark’ of German foreign
policy until 1918
= Unusual peacetime engagement not
concluded on eve of wars
= Stimulated similar treaties until Europe’s
division in pacts + counter-pacts
Dual Alliance, Oct 1879 (2)
Bismarck’s reasons:
• Russia regarded as Slavophil + Francophile: No
secure partner for G
• Austria regarded as major partner to fight
encirclement
• Dual Alliance regarded as step forward to new
Three Emperors’ League
= To improve G’s position vs. R by making A a junior
partner
= To pave way into more stable Three Emperors’
League connected by mutual alliances
Triple Alliance, 1882
• Added Italy to Dual Alliance (1879)
• Promised assistance if A, G, I were attacked by 2
or more powers
• I’s promise of neutrality in case of war between
A+R
• I’s promise of support in case of French attack
on G
• A’ + G’s promise of support of I in case of French
attack on I
= Italy for Bismarck mainly important to deprive
France of a potential ally, not for I’s strength
Reinsurance Treaty, Jul 1887
• Promise of benevolent neutrality if R or G were at
war with third power
→ Except: Attack R-A or G-F
☺No contravention to Dual Alliance
☺ Masterpiece of Bismarck’ diplomacy but also
another temporary expedient to remove fear of
F-R alliance
☻ Weak effect on R-G economic relations
☻ No reduction of Balkan tensions
☻ F’s attack on G still possible
Bismarck’s alliance system
• Peace-oriented OR ready for preventive war?
• Flexible alliance system OR crisis management?
• Rapprochement with France OR ‘inherited enemy’?
• Dual Alliance major achievement OR trap to be
dragged into war in 1914?
Colonial Policy (1)
• Bismarck’s lack of interest in colonies:
Europe in foreground
• Private companies as unsuccessful
colonizers: No government support
• German Colonial Association (Deutsche
Kolonialgesellschaft, 1887-1900) as
private initiative for mass propaganda
Colonial Policy (2)
• Society for German Colonisation
(Gesellschaft für deutsche Kolonisation,
1884) as private initiative
• Acquisition of colonies by Germany:
Togoland, the Cameroons, German East Africa,
German South West Africa, New Guinea
= Apr 1884 to May 1885 = Short imperialist phase
Colonial Policy (3): 5 Interpretations
1) Conversion to imperialism (external)
2) Enhancing Germany’s position in Europe and vs.
GB (external)
3) Satisfy pro-colonial popular sentiments in 1884
election campaign (domestic)
4) Driving wedge between liberal Crown Prince and
GB (domestic)
5) Expansionism as counter-measure vs. economic
depression (to find new markets + raw materials
for industry) = ‘Social Imperialism’ (domestic)
= Probably combination of interpretations 2-5