Further Reading re 'Russia, Germany & the Alliance System: 1872 -1914'

Recommended by Dr. Alastair Kocho-Williams, Senior Lecturer in History, University of the West of England.

Bridge, F. and Bullen, R. The Great Powers and the European States System 1814-1914

Geiss, I. German Foreign Policy, 1870-1914

Geyer, D. Russian Imperialism, 1860-1914

Hildebrand, K. German Foreign Policy from Bismarck to Adenauer

Kennan, G. The Fateful Alliance: France Russia and the Coming of the First World War

Lieven, D. C. B. Russia and the Origins of the First World War

Lowe, J. The Great Powers, Imperialism and the German Problem, 1865-1925

Mackenzie, D. Imperial Dreams, Harsh Realities: Tsarist Russia's Foreign Policy 1815-1917

Langer, W. European Alliances and Alignments, 1871-90

Langer, W. The Franco-Russian Alliance

Taylor, A. J. P. The Struggle for Mastery of Europe

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The Alliance System 1872-1914: Timeline

Compiled by Dr. Alastair Kocho-Williams, Senior Lecturer in History, University of the West of England.

1872: Three Emperors’ League (Dreikaiserbund)
- Germany - Austro-Hungary - Russia
- Reconciliation of Austria and Germany
- Reconciliation of Austria and Russia

1873: Military Convention for mutual defence (Russia & Germany); Schonbrunn Convention (Russia & Austria)

1879: Dual Alliance
- Germany - Austro-Hungary
- 5 Years
- Against Russia- Isolates France

1881: Dreikaiserbund renewed
- Germany - Austro-Hungary – Russia
- Mutual defence
- Prevention of Austro-Russian conflict in Balkans
- Allows for Austrian annexation of Bosnia if deemed necessary

1882: Triple Alliance
- Germany - Austro-Hungary - Italy

1887: Reinsurance Treaty
- Germany – Russia
- 3 Years
- Does not apply in war against France or Austria
- Incompatible with Triple Alliance – not renewed in 1890

1890: Reinsurance Treaty not renewed
- Bismarck dismissed
- German shift to Weltpolitik and creation of Schlieffen Plan to deal with war against France and Russia

- 1894: Franco-Russian Alliance
- Directed against Triple Alliance powers
- Duration as Triple Alliance
- France becomes Russia’s main creditor allowing for the expansion of industry, railways and armaments

1904: Entente Cordiale
- France - Britain

1907: Anglo-Russian Convention
- Completes Triple Entente

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Russia, Germany & the Alliance System: 1872 -1914

Alastair Kocho-Williams, University of the West of England.

This podcasts deals with Russia, Germany and the system of alliances created in the late 19th Century. These alliances would prove to be crucially important in the build up to the First World War. The alliances are looked at, and questions are asked as to how significant they were with respect to the First World War, and if in fact were a contributing factor to its outbreak.

Contents:

1. The Bismarckian Alliance System (1871-1890)
2. The Franco-Russian Alliance (1893/4)
3. The Triple-Entente
4. Crises and the outbreak of the First World War

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