alliances before WWI

The Causes of World War I: Part 1 – Alliances

n 1878, the major European powers met in Germany to discuss territorial disputes. The Congress of Berlin assigned regions to different empires. Bosnia-Herzegovina, for example, was given to Austria-Hungary.

It soon became clear that there were problems with this arrangement. The powers could not incur new territory without risking war with another country. Russia, especially, felt slighted.

In response, nations established alliances in the hopes of balancing power.

The Main Alliances

The alliances formed before the war changed over time and over the course of the conflict. Here are the major ones:

Dual Alliance (1879): An agreement between Austria-Hungary and Germany to protect themselves from war with Russia.

The Triple Alliance (1882): Between Austria-Hungary, Germany and Italy over territory in the Balkans.

Franco-Russian Alliance (1891): Changed and modified over time, the alliance was never satisfying to either France or Russia. It was intended to counter-balance the Triple Alliance.

The Entente Cordiale (1904): An alliance between Great Britain and France, meant to balance any alliance Germany made with its allies.

Anglo-Russian Entente (1907): Between Great Britain and Russia, it settled territorial claims in Asia.

Triple Entente (1907): Between Britain, France and Russia, these nations became the Allies when war began seven years later.

Where to Purchase the WWI Trilogy

This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s WWI Trilogy: Angel of Mercy, Those Left Behind and Adjustment Year.  The trilogy focuses on Hettie and her family as they navigate the challenges and heartbreak World War I brings.

Angel of Mercy:  A nurse reluctantly sacrifices her career for marriage. An impending war will change her, and her husband’s, life forever.  Available in eBook, paperback and hardcover.  Click here for a full list of retailers.

Those Left Behind:  The brewing winds of war will soon rip the family apart. Available in eBook, paperback and hardcover.  Click here for a full list of retailers.

Adjustment Year:  A war nurse returns home. Society expects her to carry on as if the Great War never happened. But how can she?  Available in eBook, paperback and hardcover.  Click here for a full list of retailers.