Germany's Alliances As A Cause Of WWI
Alliances are possibly known as one of the best cause of WWI. An alliance “is a union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries or organizations. ” The alliances of all the nations played a crucial role throughout WWI because alliances were driven by the sense of fear. Speculations throughout war held everyone in a state of paranoia, the notion that one human emotion could cause a massive response resulting in further alliances. However, it is undeniable that alliances ride on the power of nerves and only creates further destructions. When nations are afraid, generally they don’t want to be alone. This in turn created alliances, no one wanted to attack or be under the belief of being alone, as a result countries and nations joined together to attempt to find protection. After finding an “ally” to aid them in times of fear it was only normal for society to prepare themselves with military forces and resources from other countries and nations. Soon enough these alliances became an armed race in who has more ships and bigger guns.
The first alliance Germany was The Three Emperors’ League (1873). This league was a three way alliance between the ruling monarchs of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia. The Three Emperors’ League was engineered and dominated by the Prussian Otto von Bismarck, who saw it as a means of securing the balance of power in Europe. In response to the collapse of the Dreikaiserbund Germany decided to create an alliance with Austria Hungary called the Dual Alliance.
The Dual Alliance (1879) was the binding of military alliances between Germany and Austria-Hungary, that required each signatory to support the other if one was attacked by Russia. It was signed after the collapse of the Three Emperors’ League and during a period of Austro-Russian tension in the Balkans. Decades later Germany decides to create the Triple due to the rising power of Britain and Russia, the triple Alliance was a interkit three way alliance between Austria-Hungary, Germany and Italy. The terms of the alliance included the nations to provide military support for each other. In response to this, Russia, Britain and France created an alliance called the Triple Entente (1907) unifying these countries together against the Triple Alliance. After all these alliances were tension were at an all time high, only to be let off by a slight event creating a World War. Until June 28, 1914, This was the spark that would set off a fire of war that was about to ignite.
On June 28, 1914 the assassination of Franz Ferdinand sparked the start of WWI with Austria declaring war on Serbia, which lead to Russia declaring war on Austria, then in response Germany in Austria’s defense declares war on Russia making Great Britain and France to declare war on Germany. The multitude of events were all created because of the alliances Germany made with other nations which they respond as an act of violence only to be built up of tension and to be lead off by a little event creating chaos and a World War.
