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