Formation of the Triple Alliance :: History

Formation of the Triple AllianceIn 1871 two red-hot major states of Europe had been formedthe German Empire and the kingdom of Italy. The saucy German Empire, under the have of Otto von Bismarck, was steered carefully, always with an eye upon France, for the Franco-Prussian War (187071) had leftfield France thirsting for revenge and for rec overy of the lost provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. 2Germany had allied itself with Russia and Austria-Hungary in the common chord Emperors League, but Austria-Hungary and Russia were not the best of friends, partly because they were at odds over the Balkans and partly because Russia represented the Pan-Slavic movement, whose program threatened the very existence of Austria-Hungary. The treaty of San Stefano (1878), following the Russo-Turkish War, furthered the cause of Pan-Slavism through the creation of a large Bulgarian state and offended Austria-Hungary as well as Great Britain. A European conference (1878 see Berlin, Congress of), cal led to revise the treaty, caused a sagacious decline in the friendship between Russia on the one hand and Austria-Hungary and Germany on the other Bismarck formed (1879) a hidden justificative alliancethe Dual Alliancewith Austria-Hungary. 3In 1882 Italy, angry at France chiefly because France had forestalled an Italian advance by occupying Tunis, signed another secret treaty, which bound it with Germany and Austria-Hungary. Thus was the Triple Alliance formed. It was periodically renewed until 1913. In 1882 Serbia joined the alliance, in effect, through a treaty with Austria-Hungary. Romania joined the stem in 1883, and a strong Central European bloc was created. Italy was from the prototypical not so solidly bound to either of its allies as Germany and Austria-Hungary were to each other. Italy was in fact a rival of Austria-Hungary in the Balkans and in particular for control of the Adriatic moreover, there remained unsettled territorial problems (see irredentism). The Trip le Alliance, however, turned diplomatic history into new channels. 4Formation of the Triple Entente The cardinal Emperors League died a slow death, but in 1890 its day was over Germany refused to renew its reinsurance treaty with Russia, and Russia in consequence sought a rapprochement with France. At the same time France, face to face with an increasingly powerful Germany and a hostile Central European combination, felt great contend of an ally, and French diplomats began to make overtures to Russia for an agreement to counterbalance the Triple Alliance. French smashing aided Russian projects, especially the Trans-Siberian Railroad, and friendly diplomatic visits were exchanged.