A Fragile Peace

Belle Époque

Period of prosperity and optimism

Tension because territorial expansionism

relation between countries determined by Germany

Otto Bismarck designed a complex system of alliance

Bismarckian system

Three stages

Second system

Third system

First system

(League of three Emperors)
alliance between

Agreement with Austro-Hungarian

Triple alliance

German

Russia

Austro-Hungarian

Later joining Italy becoming the League of the three emperors

Signed the reinsurance Treaty with Russia

This treaty guaranteed the neutrality in the event of attack by France

Fall of Bismarck

Triple Entente

Triple Alliance

Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy

Each alliance invested in military

Russia, France and Great Britain

This process was called the arms race or armed peace

Between 1905-1911 France and Germany were in war over control of Morocco

German wanted for its strategic value and for the raw materials

Between 1912-1913 two Balkan wars broke out

Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Greece declared war on the ottoman empire

In the second the formers allies fought each other

Which had the support of the Russians, benefited from this war