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Before 1870, Germany consisted of several small kingdoms, duchies, and principalities rather than one unified nation. In the 1860s, the Kingdom of Prussia, led by Kaiser Wilhelm I and his prime minister, Otto von Bismarck, initiated a series of conflicts designed to unite the German states under their influence.

The first effort at unifying the German states came in the revolutionary year 1848. Once news of the February 1848 revolution in Paris spread, many felt that the time was finally at hand for German unification. Throughout the German states revolutionaries advocated for freedom of the press, the creation of constitutions in several of the German states, a more fair system of taxation, and freedom of religion.

The first war of German unification was the 1862 Danish War,

The second war of German unification was the 1866 Austro-Prussian War, which settled the question of “smaller” versus “greater” Germany. This brief war (fought over the course of mere weeks) pitted Prussia and her allies against Austria and other German states.

The third and final act of German unification was the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, orchestrated by Bismarck to draw the western German states into alliance with the North German Confederation. With the French defeat, the German Empire was proclaimed in January 1871 in the Palace at Versailles, France.

Although the achievement of Prussian dominance within the Confederation was one of Bismarck's greatest accomplishments, the unification of the German states into a single large nation is perhaps most significant because it transformed Germany into an important world power of both the 19th and 20th centuries.

Proclaiming the German Empire at Versailles in early 1871, Wilhelm and Bismarck effectively united the country. In the resulting Treaty of Frankfurt which ended the war, France was forced to cede Alsace and Lorraine to Germany. The loss of this territory badly stung the French and was a motivating factor in 1914.

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The triple alliance formed in May 1882 was a secret agreement between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. Germany first allied itself with Austria-Hungary in 1879 known as the dual alliance. Italy sought support against France shortly after losing North African ambitions to the French, thus joining the triple alliance. These three nations stood against another association known as the triple entente constituted of France, Russia, and Great Britain. Italy then betrayed the Triple Alliance, declaring war on Austria-Hungary and secretly negotiating with France for years.

The formation of the alliance and the entente ultimately converted into factors leading up to World War I. Although the alliance renewed in 1907 and 1912, Italy entered World War I in May 1915 in opposition to Germany and Austria-Hungary.

sources: https://schoolhistory.co.uk/notes/the-triple-alliance/#:~:text=Italy%20in%20a%20sense%20betrayed,up%20to%20World%20War%20I.

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1894: Franco-Russian Alliance or The Dual Alliance

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1894: Franco-Russian Alliance or The Dual Alliance

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This alliance is one of the basic European alignments of the pre-World War era. It was established as a secret treaty in 1894 after friendly contact of the two parliaments of France and Russia in 1891. The political and military pact was formalised as France opposed German ideologies and Russia opposed Austria-Hungary. This agreement meant that when Germany would order an attack on each party, they would send their military to attack Germany based on agreed-upon terms. They had to maintain secrecy to oppose the Triple Alliance by formalising the agreement in the form of letters. This alliance introduced specialised military plans and organisations to maintain the agreement. Both parties later renewed and strengthened the alliance in 1899 and 1912. (source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dual-Alliance)

This dual alliance impacted World War I forward as it resumed power from the most powerful, Germany. This allowed the defeat of Germany in the first battle of Marne as well as the collapse of the Schlieffen Plan. The Schlieffen Plan was a battle plan proposed in 1902 as a two-front war, and was debated as flawed and too aggressive after they were defeated in 1918.

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From the year 1989 onwards, Germany massively expanded its Navy, This was a part of the formed policy known as Weltpolitik or world Politics which first began in 1897. This policy was planned to turn Germany into a world power by building an overseas empire, growing its world trade and its Naval power.

Germany’s Weltpolitik contributed heavily to the raising of tension to the war which creates a connection with world war 1.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z36wycw/revision/5#:~:text=From%201898%20onwards%20Germany%20massively,and%20increasing%20its%20naval%20power.

https://www.mytutor.co.uk/answers/12237/A-Level/History/What-was-Germany-s-Weltpolitik-and-how-did-it-contribute-to-causing-the-First-World-War/

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The German naval laws, or the first navy seal law, is an order made by legal authority, most notably Germany’s leader Kaiser Wilhelm III, in 1898 to build seven battleships, bringing the total naval size to nineteen. The aim was to turn Germany into having world power by building an overseas empire by growing its world trade; to further the country’s economy and commercial interest.The decree raised tension between German and Britain, they had felt threatened due to having most of its fleet overseas- especially with how Germany concentrated in the North Sea- along with the fact their only means of protection is the navy. This started a shipbuilding race between the two countries. (source https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z36wycw/revision/5 https://www.chu.cam.ac.uk/archives/education/churchill-era/exercises/german-naval-threat-pre1947/ )

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The Anglo-Japanese Alliance was the first alliance of a Western country and an Asiatic power against Western rival. This alliance solidified an agreement that whenever each party is to start war with another country that the other would remain neutral. This allowed the safeguarding of their respective interests in China and Korea. This alliance was renewed up until the 1920s where the Four-Power Treaty was signed by the United States, Britain, France, and Japan.

The benefits this had on both parties was to boost national pride of Britain in the act of Alliance with an Asian country. As well as to consolidate Japan's power towards a Western rival, Russia. This allowed for Russia's defeat in the Russo-Japanese War in which they fought for imperial ambitions of Manchuria and Korea. (source: https://www.historytoday.com/archive/anglo-japanese-treaty-alliance)

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On April 8 1904, an agreement formed between Great Britain and France was signed that declared an end to antagonisms between the two nations and paved the way for their diplomatic cooperation against increasing German pressures in the lead-up to WWI.The agreement was hailed as a triumph of reason, progress and diplomatic agility. Through the Entente Cordiale, Britain and France established the beginnings of an alliance, promising  to afford to one another their diplomatic support, in order to obtain the execution of the clauses of the present Declaration regarding Egypt and Morocco.

sources: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/britain-and-france-sign-entente-cordiale

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The Triple Entente was the alliance between Britain, France, and Russia developed from the Dual Alliance or the Franco-Russian Alliance, and Entente Cordialle. This agreement/alliance was informal and joined in opposition of the Triple Alliance. The Triple Entente's joint powers counterbalanced The Triple Alliance's power that Germany did not anticipate. This lead to the tendency of aggression by its joint powers and confirmed Germany's paranoia.

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1904-1905 Russian Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War

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1904-1905 Russian Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War

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Both Russia and Japan were planning to take control of Chinese territories. Emperor Tsar Nicholas II thought that a national victory would benefit their economic expansion and prevent the regime from falling apart. However, Russia saw Japan as a threat. Japan offered to negotiate, but it was ignored by Russia. Japan attacked the Russian Pacific Fleet and navy base in January 1904. As a result, the Russian troops were left with no supplies. Though the Russian Baltic fleet set sail in March 1905, they were ambushed by the Japanese navy when arriving 2 months later in May, which caused the ships to be captured and destroyed, resulting in the defeat of Tsar’s regime and a peace treaty between Russia and Japan.

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zwxv34j/revision/5

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France and Spain each planned to conquer territories in Morocco. After the Entete Cordiale Agreement between France and Britain allowed Spain to claim territories in Morocco, Germany caught wind of the agreement and visited Morocco to disrupt the conclusion between the two countries. Germany took advantage of the defeat of France's ally, Russia, from the Russo-Japanese War.
Kaiser Wilhelm II declared for Morocco's independence and integrity on March 31st , as Germany planned to take control over territory in Northwest Africa.

Sources: https://encyclopedia.1914-1918 online.net/article/moroccan_crises_1905-1911

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The Dreadnought battleship was launched in 1906 by the British Navy and was believed to be the dominant type of warship for the next 35 years. It was 160 meters long, able to carry 800 passengers, powered by steam turbines, able to reach the top speed of 38 km/hr, and carried lots of 4 different types of guns (12-inch guns, 3-inch guns, maxim machine guns, and torpedo tubes). However, it was beaten by battleships with bigger guns throughout World War I. Especially, because of its specialty being suitable for short distance battles.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dreadnought-British-battleship

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The Bosnian Crisis was a complicated Crisis that had occurred back in 1908.The Crisis stated when the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary on the 6th of October 1908.The annexation led to a controversy between the Dual Monarchy and Turkey.
The Bosnian Crisis involves with WW1 when the Heir of Austria-Hungary was assassinated in Sarajevo on 28th June 1914. The event triggers and caused an outbreak to world war 1.
Sources:
https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/boshtml/bos130.htm

https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-one/causes-of-world-war-one/the-bosnian-crisis/#:~:text=The%20Bosnian%20Crisis%20of%201908,to%20trigger%20World%20War%20One.

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Germany dispatched a gunboat Panther on Agadir after French military assertions prompted Germany to assert their own power. Germany strengthened Britain and France’s alliance by pushing them to compensate for the expansion of territorial power France held in Morocco. Britain’s David Lloyd held a speech on July 21st 1911, coined as the Mansion House Speech, as an act of solidarity to France. The conflict was resolved by Germany receiving a small part of the French Congo.

Source: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/moroccan-crises

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The first Balkan war were caused by discontent in Serbia, Bulgaria, and Greece, prompted by Macedonia’s rebellion under the Ottoman-held territory. The war started between the members of the Balkan League, consisting of Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Montenegro, as one of the league member attacked the ottoman Empire. The first Balkan war ended eight months after it started, with a signing of the treaty of London in 1913. The continued instability and conflict between the Balkans caused tension that led to WW1, not to mention a Serbian nationalist group that was involved in the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, that directly triggered world war 1.  (Source : https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-first-balkan-war-ends https://www.britannica.com/topic/Balkan-Wars)

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The second Balkan war began when Greece, Serbia, and Romania had an altercation with Bulgaria due to their joint conquest in Macedonia, this resulted in an alliance between Greece and Serbia against Bulgaria. The war officially started on 29th June 1913 when King Ferdinand, ordered his troops to attack Serbian and Greek forces in Macedonia; then Serbia fought back by driving a wedge into the Bulgarian line. The war ended on July 30th with a peace treaty, where Greece and Serbia shared shared the biggest parts of Macedonia, leaving Bulgaria with only a small part. The war increased the tension between Austria-Hungary, and Serbia, leading to the assassination of Franz Ferdinand by a Serbian. (source www.britannica.com/topic/Balkan-Wars)