Italy then had troubles with France and wanted a friendship with Austria, so they joined to form the Triple Alliance.
Kaiser Wilhelm II, had always wanted Germany to be a strong power like Britain, but he wanted more power than the British. Britain had a vast colonial empire, particularly in Africa. There was no land left for taking, so Germany would have to take them off of other countries. The German leaders were worried because of the positioning of the two powers in the Triple Alliance. France and Russia were either side of Germany and so they could attack on both sides. The alliance between Russia and France was very threatening and dangerous to Germany. Germany’s army was weaker in war, due to the fact that they had to separate their army in war. Britain was an isolated country which meant that they only means of attack would by naval means and Britain had the best navy. Germany however was completely surrounded. This proved that Germany was planning a war when it had no empire to defend. The British created the Dreadnought, which followed with the naval arms race. Bismarck was planning a preventative war in which he hoped to stop Britain from getting involved, and also to be at a level with her. Britain realised she was isolated and the only one without an ally. Who could be her ally? She had signed a treaty of alliance to Japan against Russia, and German would certainly not be her ally.
Germany had only one powerful ally left; Austria, the Kaiser new this was a great risk which could result in European war, and on July 5th 1914 agreed to back Austria on her invasion of Serbia. Russia, contrary to the Kaiser’s beliefs did back Serbia and had secretly started mobilisation 5 days early on July 30th. Germany had been preparing for this for years, and so followed the Schlieffen plan. They invaded Belgium, which brought Britain into the war, and they then invaded France. This was supposed to aid Austria, and Austria declared war only on Serbia. Germany declared war on Russia, France, and invaded Belgium, Luxembourg and involves Britain.
In May 1903 King Edward VII made a trip to Paris, and then the French president visited London, and this formed the Entente Cordial. It was felt that Britain and France were planning military alliances against the Triple Alliance. Germany’s fears of security resurfaced, as the French finally had an ally with whom they could get revenge on Germany for taking Alsace-Lorraine. Three years later it became a Triple Entente as Russia and Britain settled their differences. This created a great tension as Europe was split in the middle, and was just waiting for the trigger.
The German’s believed that war with France was inevitable because of Alsace- Lorraine. So they devised a plan which would they thought would guarantee their victory, called the Schlieffen plan. It was based on mass mobilisation. It was believed that in the event of a war it would take Germany thirty-six hours to mobilise, France forty-eight hours and Russia three weeks. The Germans would first attack France and then after defeating France go on to attack Russia. But in doing this, Germany was risking the possible chance of war with Britain.
Germany tried to provoke France and to gain more power throughout Europe. The alliance was just formed because war was planned. The other countries were antagonized and had to keep the balance of power by copying the alliance system or else become defeated by war. For instance, trying to rival Britain’s navy. Germany had no empire to defend, and so this was seen as means of attacking Britain. Germany caused the war, but it was not their plan for to result in world war or humiliation.
