Back then, Britain controlled most of the world’s colonies as well as the oceans. Likewise, the German Empire had just come into being, although unified Germany was powerful, they weren’t indispensable and Bismarck knew this to the core. In addition, the three parties also vowed to preserve the status quo in Europe. Although, the alliance did not have military component to it, for the time being, it fulfilled Bismarck’s aim to isolate France. The objectives of the Dreikaiserbund were twofold: first and foremost, to ease off tensions between Austria and Russia over territorial claims in the Balkans and secondly, to prevent intervention in any potential strife between Germany and France. So, he proposed the formation of the League of the Three Emperors (Dreikaiserbund) which officially took shape in 1873. With neither willing to let the other have influence in the region, Bismarck sensed Germany could become reluctantly involved in any future Austro-Russian conflict over the area. The Balkans were of a strategic importance to both the Russians and the Austrians. The relative decline of the Turkish power had opened up opportunities for Russia and Austria to fill the power vacuum in the region. Initially, Bismarck found himself in a crossroad when Russia and Austria were contending over the issue of the Balkans. Bismarck, cautious of the French revanchism, directed his foreign policy and diplomatic engagement towards keeping France at bay and isolated, for he knew any hostile alliance by France with other European powers posed the danger of a potential two-front war that threatened the survival of the German Empire.So, he sought maintaining amiable relations with other countries and core part of his focus was on building a peaceful and friendly alliance with Austria and Russia. The French despised the Germans, the hatred and the animosity against Germany was at all time high and the French would pounce upon any opportunity to get revenge on Germany. The main theme of this article is to elucidate how the foreign policy undertaking by Bismarck and his system of alliance with Austria and Russia was able to prevent Germany from war against other European powers and thus preserved peace in Europe.Īftermath the Franco Prussian War, France was in agony over the lost territories. Consequently, through his diplomatic tact and proactiveness Bismarck maintained peace in Europe for nearly two decades. Bismarck was able to convince other European powers that unified German empire was a status quo power and posed no security threats to them. Bismarck had understood that among others his objective was to gain trust and make Germany look peaceful and friendly to other countries. The reunification of Germany caused a fundamental shift in the distribution of power in 19 th century Europe. Secondly, the German annexation of Alsace and Lorraine completed the establishment of German Empire which propelled them among the ranks of major European powers. First and foremost, the defeat of France and the subsequent Treaty of Frankfurt marked the end of the French dominance in continental Europe. The war of 1870 between France and Prussia had two major consequences.
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