By: Anna Jennerjohn

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Journal WriteWhat do you know about the Alliances and

Rivalries of WWI?

What do you not know about the Alliances and Rivalries?

Rivalries Causes of Rivalry between the European Countries:Competition for materials and marketsTerritorial disputesCompetition for colonies overseas

France had never gotten over the loss of Alsace-Lorraine (territory) to Germany in the Franco-Prussian War (1870)

Austria-Hungary and Russia both tried to dominate in the Balkans, a region in southeast Europe

Germany saw France as the greatest threat to peace. Otto von Bismarck believed that France still wanted revenge for its defeat in the Franco-Prussian War. Bismarck’s first goal, therefore, was to isolate France. “As long as it is without allies,” Bismarck stressed, “France poses no threat to us.”

The Three Emperors League In order to discreetly isolate France,

Bismarck (The Chancellor of Germany) formed the Three Emperors League in 1872

This was an alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia and tied them to each other's aid in time of war

This was a rather vague pledge to uphold monarchy

Otto von Bismarck

Dual AllianceThe Three Emperors League only lasted until

Russia's withdrawal five years later in 1878

This left Bismarck with a new Dual Alliance with Austria-Hungary in 1879

The Dual Alliance was a more concrete alliance and lasted until 1914, when Germany and Austria-Hungary entered World War I together

When the French occupied Tunisia, Bismarck took advantage of Italian hatred towards France and created the Triple Alliance between Germany, Italy and Austria- Hungary in 1882

In exchange for Italy's agreement to stay impartial if war broke out between Austria-Hungary and Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary would protect Italy from France

  Italy was also bound to help Germany or Austria-Hungary if France declared war against them

German Flag

Italian FlagAustria-Hungarian FlagThe Central

Powers

In 1890, Germany’s foreign policy changed dramatically. Kaiser Wilhelm II –who two years earlier had become ruler of Germany - forced Bismarck to resign. Besides wanting to assert his own power, he was eager to show the world just how mighty Germany had become

Wilhelm let his nation’s treaty with Russia drop in 1890. Russia responded by forming a defensive military alliance with France in 1892 and 1894. Such an alliance had been Bismarck’s fear. War with either Russia or France would make Germany the enemy of both. Germany would then be forced to fight a two-front war, or a war on both its eastern and western borders

Kaiser Wilhelm II

Wilhelm began a tremendous shipbuilding program in an effort to make the German navy equal to that of the powerful British fleet

Shocked, Great Britain formed an alliance with France in 1904 called the Entente Cordiale , then in 1907 formed an alliance with both France and Russia called the Triple Entente

It did not bind Britain to fight with France and Russia but almost certainly guaranteed that Britain would not fight against them

In 1914 Italy declared that Germany's war against France was an 'aggressive' one and allowed Italy to claim a neutral stance.  A year later, in 1915, Italy did enter World War I as an ally of Britain, France and Russia.

Due primarily to submarine warfare and the Zimmerman note, President Wilson asked Congress for permission to go to war, and on April 6, 1917, the United States went to war on the side of the Allies

British Flag France’s FlagRussian Flag

The Allies

A Balkan Crisis

When Serbia longed to extend its borders, Austria-Hungary opposed such an idea and took over two major Slavic populations of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The tensions between Serbia and Austria-Hungary rose dramatically

The territorial disputes and rivalry between Serbia and Austria-Hungary led to the murder of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Serbian Flag

Bosnia-Herzegovina flag

WWI Alliances

Outbreak of War

Failure of the Schlieffen Plan

What are the Alliances and Rivalries of WWI?

What caused the Rivalries of WWI?

How did the Rivalries lead to Alliances? 

How did the Alliances interfere with the Schlieffen Plan?

Answers Alliances are: The Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and

Italy) and the Triple Entente (Great Britain, France, and Russia. Italy and U.S enter later)

Rivalries: Balkan Crisis, and France and Germany’s territorial disputes

Causes of Rivalry: Competition for materials and markets, Territorial disputes, and Competition for colonies overseas

The Rivalries led to Alliances through Germany’s rivalry with France becoming a major power. Germany’s actions in creating a stronger navy, taking out U.S ships, and dropping their treaty with Russia only took away alliances for Germany and added alliances for the Allied powers

The Triple Entente and Britain’s alliance with Belgium stopped the Schlieffen Plan and Germany from advancing

ConclusionThe Alliances and Rivalries of World War One

had set the stage for war. With Germany’s insistence of isolating France, political changes in Germany, the competition between the Allies and Central Powers, and territorial disputes in the Balkans it is apparent that the Rivalries and Alliances is the most important cause of World War One

Pictures: Otto von Bismarck. 4/10/11. <http://imagine.wikia.com>. German Flag.4/10/11. <http://alecontheissues.wordpress.com>. Italian Flag.4/10/11.<http://www.33ff.com/flags/worldflags/Germany_flag.html>. Austria-Hungarian Flag.4/10/11. <http://newworldencyclopedia.org>. British Flag.4/10/11.<http://ninsox.com>. France Flag.4/10/11.<http://solarpaces.org>. Russian Flag.4/10/11.<http://www.33ff.com/flags/worldflags/Russia_flag.html>. Serbian Flag. 4/10/11. <http://flags.net>. Bosnia-herzegovina flag. 4/10/11. <http://bestmadeflags.com>. War on two fronts.4/11/11. <http://3dhistory.co.uk>. Kaiser Wilhelm II.4/10/11.<http://s615.photobucket.com/albums/tt239/olypion/?

action=view&current=KaiserWilhelmII.jpg&newest=1>. Video: WWI Alliances. 4/10/11. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAeMeuuspmk>. Outbreak of War. 4/10/11. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=lCbNE3ToePA&feature=related>. The failure of the Schlieffen Plan. 4/10/11. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=lJXAcl8D51Y&feature=related>.