Bismarck’s System of Alliances

The House of Cards

Safety In Numbers

Bismarck's plans to protect Germany led to a system of alliances that were to dominate European politics.

Germany was faced with several foreign policy problems almost immediately.

Austria-Hungary wanted German support to expand into the Balkan region of Eastern Europe

Russia also wanted German support for her efforts to be the leader of the Slavic people in the same area of the Balkans.

The Problem With Friends is …

Problems came to a head when Russia became involved in a war with Turkey.

The war was fought over who should control the Balkan region.

England threatened to go to war to support Turkey, and Austria-Hungary was angry that Russia was involved in the Balkans.

Bismarck was expected to support Russia, Austria-Hungary, and keep his powerful armies ready to defend against France.

The Congress of Berlin

As a result of this potentially dangerous political situation, Bismarck held a large European meeting to hopefully fix the problem.

The Congress of Berlin (1878) allowed Bismarck to orchestrate a deal to end the dangerous situation.

At the end of the congress, Austria-Hungary received control of various regions of the Balkans while the Russians gained nothing.

The Russians were angered over the lack of support it received from Bismarck's dealings.

This situation became a major concern for Bismarck during the following months. 

The Dual Alliance

In summary, Russia was not happy with the final results of the Congress of Berlin.

Bismarck was quick to pick up on this feeling and wanted to take further steps to protect his country against the threat of Russia and France.

Thus, in 1879, he turned to Austria-Hungary and offered a treaty that became known as the Dual Alliance.

Insecurity Instead of Security The Dual Alliance was a landmark treaty in European

history. It was a new type of treaty between nations for several reasons:

1. Usually in European history, war treaties were signed just before fighting broke out or, they were for a very specific purpose. The Dual Alliance was signed during peacetime.2. The treaty had no time limit. In other words, there was no end point for the agreement. It would last as long as the counties agreed to it. Traditionally, most treaties were limited to a set period of time.3. No country was identified as an enemy to the countries involved. The alliance did not name the country (ies) that the treaty applied to. With no declared enemy, all countries feared that they were the one the alliance was against. This created paranoia amongst all European countries.4. The goals and purpose of the alliance were kept secret to everyone except the two signing countries. This contributed to the suspicions of other European countries that the deal was against them.

Benefits for Germany

The Dual Alliance gave Bismarck a sense of security for his new nation.

The agreement called for mutual defense and assistance if either partner was attacked by a third power.

Bismarck could now count upon a powerful ally should she be attacked

Fears Across Europe

Russia became very paranoid and fearful of German intentions.

She believed that the Dual Alliance was directed against her.

These fears drove Russia to open up negotiations with Germany to perhaps form an alliance of their own.

Keep Russia Happy

Bismarck was quick to grasp the need to keep Russia happy.

His fears were supported by the concerns of German military commanders.

They were worried about having to fight France and Russia at the same time, in two different directions.

The Reinsurance Treaty

Military philosophy dictates that an army should not fight a two-front war.

A war of this type does not allow for a concentration of military forces and resources necessary to defeat the enemy.

Instead, it forces an army to divide its attention and armed forces in two. Both of the forces are now weaker, which invites defeat.

As a result of the Russian offer and the fears of the German military, Bismarck offered the Reinsurance Treaty to the Russians.

He hoped that the treaty would eliminate the possibility of a two-front war, and also reduced political instability between Germany and Russia.