Transcript ACCOUNT OF THE MEMBERS OF Triple Alliance

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Europe on the eve of the first world war 1914 was divided into two
main armed blocs, the Tripple Alliance and the Triple Entente. The
Triple Alliance consisted of Germany, Austria and Italy whereas the
Triple Entente consists of England, France and Russia. Apart from it
other nations like Japan, Bulgaria, America, Serbia and Turkey also
participated in it.
These powers were entered into the war due to enormous reasons but
the immediate cause being the murder of Prince Archduke Francis
Ferdinand of Austria and his consort Sophie by Bosnian ignited the
World war I on 28the June, 1914.
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German empire:
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Bismarck the Chancellor of Prussia, after inflicting a crushing
defeat on France in 1870-71, made Germany a first rate power of
Europe. To make Germany a top most power, the naval base was
made strong and established new markets for her industrial
manufactured goods. For this they required colonies for the import
of raw material. In order to attain his aims Germany entered into
Alliances with the powerful nations.
First he entered into Austro-German Alliance and through his
diplomacy brought Italy as a member of his camp in 1882, by the
formation of Triple Alliance. When Bismarck was dropped from
power in 1890 by William II, the Emperor of Germany, the
politics took a different turn as William II was highly ambitious
and bent upon establishing German colonies abroad to promote
her trade, commerce and industries.
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Austria-Hungary:
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Austria was badly defeated by Germany at the battle of Sadowa in
1866. This gave her a shattered defeat and blow to her powers.
The different subject nationalities living under her tried to become
independent. Hungary got separated from Austria by the Treaty of
Prague in 1866 after the humiliating defeat in the battle of
Sadowa. Thus the vitality and resources of Austria were sapped.
All this forced Austria to strengthen her position and concluded
an Alliance with Germany.
 Italy:
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Italy was considered as a mere ‘Geographical Expression’ even
up to the middle or close of the 19th century, greatly increased
her power and prestige in Europe through the efforts of patriots
like Mazzini, Cavour and Garibaldi. Her position was further
strengthened when she became a partner of Germany and
Austria was doubtful as she always pined to get back her
province of Trieste, Trinion, Fieume and Tyrol from Austria.
But during the war, she deserted Germany and Austria and
joined the allies i.e. England and France. This proved a potent
factor for the defeat of both Germany and Austria in the Great
war of 1914.
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England:
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England was the misterss of the seas and a great colonial power of
Europe since times immemorial. The emergence of Geramny as a
first rate power of Europe after the Franco-Prussian war of 187071 disturbed the ‘Balance of power’. England had been following
a policy of splendid isolation since the first quarter of the
nineteenth century. In the mean while alliance had taken place
between Austria and Germany in 1879 then in Italy with 1882.
Soon there took another alliance between France Russia and
England.
Thus it set the ball of hostility between these two rival powers
rolling and with the passage of time it became an important cause
of the First World War.
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France:
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Germany gave a crushing and a devastated defeat to France at the
Battle of Sedan in 1870-71 and snatched away her two rich
provinces i.e. Alsace and Lorraine. The loss of it appear to her
much. So in 1870, France wanted to take revenge and hatred
against Germany and was anxious to get back her lost territories
fro her. So far Bismarck had diplomatically kept France in a state
of isolation as he successfully foiled all French efforts to find any
ally in Europe.
Thus France concluded an alliance with Russia in 1894 and in
1904 with England known as Anglo-French Entente. France made
strenuous efforts to bring England and Russia close to each other
resulting into the Triple Entente of 1907 between England, France
and Russia. This rivalry between these nations led the division of
Europe into two hostile camps.
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 Russia:
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In 1914, Russia was also a great power of Europe. It had been the
policy of Bismarck to maintain friendship with Russia for
political reasons. As long as Bismarck remained in the scene he
had very good terms with Russia. But after his exit from power in
1890, William II alienated Russia from Germany and there
appeared a crack in their friendship. Thus Russian signed a secret
alliance with France in 1894 against the Triple Alliance of 1882.
in 1907 she joined England. But the internal condition was
deplorable as the people fed up from the despotism of Czar
Nicholas II and were planning to overthrow his regime. But after
the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Czarism came to an end and
there established the Socialist Republic in Russia.
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Serbia:
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It were the Serbs who struck the first blow to the Balkans. After
attaining her freedom from Turkey Serbia became impatient to get
back her two Serbian inhabited Turkish provinces i.e. Bosnia and
Herzegovina from the Treaty of Berlin 1878. But 1908, when
Austria annexed these two states into her Empire, Serbia was full
of indignation and her fury knew no bounds.
Hence the main cause for the war was the assasination of the
Prince Archduke.
Thus we find Europe before the outbreak of the war was full with
too many rivalries. The atmosphere was surcharged with
discontent and anger, which divided Europe into two camps.
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