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THE ARMED PEACE IN EUROPE - Coggle Diagram
THE ARMED PEACE IN EUROPE
Armed Peace
between 1870 and 1914
although there was peace, tension between the European countries was growing
countries were dedicating a large part of their production to manufacturing weapons.
The importance of the German Empire
After the unification of Germany in 1871, it became the most important power in Europe because of its economic and military development.
two phases
The Bismarckian system (1871–1890)
German emperor Wilhelm I used diplomacy to maintain the balance of power
The chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, established a system of alliances with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Russian Empire and Italy
Bismarckian alliance
Objectives
to maintain Germany hegemony in Europe
to prevent France from declaring war on Germany to recover Alsace-Lorraine
Bismarck managed to avoid conflict in Europe for twenty years.
in order to do this he had to strengthen the German army
arms race
forced European countries to build up their armies
because if they did not, their armies would be weaker than the German army if there was a war
The expansion foreign policy of Wilhelm II (1890-1914)
the German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, who came to the throne in 1888
changed the system of alliances for an expansionist policy
Bismarck disagreed with Wilhelm II on foreign policy issues and resigned from his position in 1890.
Wilhelm II did not renew the Reinsurance Treaty with the Russian Empire because he did not think that Russia would ally with France
France and Russia did become allies because of France's economic investment in Russian industry.
Triple Entente (1907): France, Great Britain and Russia.
The Bismarckian system
The first system
in 1872 the Three Emperors' League was signed
Wilhelm I of Germany, Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary and Tsar Alexander II of Russia.
failed due to rivalry between Austria-Hungary and Russia over control of the Balkans.
The second system
between 1879 and 1882
various treaties
1879: the secret Double Alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary.
1881: the Alliance of the three emperors was re-signed
1882: the Triple Alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy
The third system
in 1887
the Triple Alliance was renewed between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy
Germany also signed a secret alliance with the Russian Empire, the Reinsurance Treaty
remain neutral if either went to war against another country.
