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The Triple Alliance was a secret agreement between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy formed in May 1882 and renewed periodically until World War I. The treaty provided that Germany and Austria-Hungary were to assist Italy if it were attacked by France without Italian provocation; Italy would assist Germany if Germany were attacked by France. In the event of a war between Austria-Hungary and Russia, Italy promised to remain neutral. This abstention would have the effect of freeing Austrian troops that would otherwise have been needed to guard the Austrian-Italian border.

The agreement reads:
ARTICLE 1. The High Contracting Parties (Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Italy) mutually promise peace and friendship, and will enter into no alliance or engagement directed against any one of their States.

They engage to proceed to an exchange of ideas on political and economic questions of a general nature which may arise, and they further promise one another mutual support within the limits of their own interests.

ARTICLE 2. In case Italy, without direct provocation on her part, should be attacked by France for any reason whatsoever, the two other Contracting Parties shall be bound to lend help and assistance with all their forces to the Party attacked.

This same obligation shall devolve upon Italy in case of any aggression without direct provocation by France against Germany.

ARTICLE 3. If one, or two, of the High Contracting Parties, without direct provocation on their part, should chance to be attacked and to be engaged in a war with two or more Great Powers non-signatory to the present Treaty, the casus foederis will arise simultaneously for all the High Contracting Parties.

ARTICLE 4. In case a Great Power non-signatory to the present Treaty should threaten the security of the states of one of the High Contracting Parties, and the threatened Party should find itself forced on that account to make war against it, the two others bind themselves to observe towards their Ally a benevolent neutrality. Each of them reserves to itself, in this case, the right to take part in the war, if it should see fit, to make common cause with its Ally.

What was the purpose of making the Triple Alliance secret?

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As relations between European powers became more tense, countries began considering what they would do if war broke out. One notable example is the Schlieffen Plan, a battle plan that was designed to allow Germany to fight a successful two-front war.

Why would Germany be at a strategic disadvantage in the case of war?

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1902 Anglo-Japanese Alliance was an alliance between Britain and Japan.

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The Anglo-Japanese Alliance was one of many alliances in the "Triple Entente." The Triple Entente's was made up of the three major powers; Britain, France, and Russia, and their shared allies. The alliance reads:

Article 1

The High Contracting parties, having mutually recognized the independence of China and Korea, declare themselves to be entirely uninfluenced by aggressive tendencies in either country, having in view, however, their special interests, of which those of Great Britain relate principally to China, whilst Japan, in addition to the interests which she possesses in China, is interested in a peculiar degree, politically as well as commercially and industrially in Korea, the High Contracting parties recognize that it will be admissible for either of them to take such measures as may be indispensable in order to safeguard those interests if threatened either by the aggressive action of any other Power, or by disturbances arising in China or Korea, and necessitating the intervention of either of the High Contracting parties for the protection of the lives and properties of its subjects.

Article 2

Declaration of neutrality if either signatory becomes involved in war through Article 1.

Article 3

Promise of support if either signatory becomes involved in war with more than one Power.

Article 4

Signatories promise not to enter into separate agreements with other Powers to the prejudice of this alliance.

What would happen to Japan in this agreement if Britain went to war with more than one power, or vice-versa?

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The Balkan Peninsula was a region with many different ethnic groups and languages. After a long period of domination by multinational empires like the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, nationalist sentiments led these different groups to seek independence to become separate countries.

Based on the cartoon (separate attachment), why were major powers in Europe concerned about the events in the Balkans?

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As industrialized nations spent more and more money on defense, economically weaker powers like Russia, which had not industrialized, poured most of their resources into the military in an attempt to keep up.

Predict how Russia might fare in World War I as an nation yet to industrialize.

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Cartoon depicting the major powers of Europe struggling to contain conflict over nationalist movements for independence in the Balkans.

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Balkan Troubles Cartoon (1912-1913)

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Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Pie chart of European holdings in Africa between 1850 and 1914

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Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Imperial powers were in competition with one another over colonies in Africa.

How might this result in armed conflict?

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Political cartoon (1898) which reads: “China: The cake of Kings and Emperors.”

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Imperial powers were in competition with one another over "Spheres of Influence" in China.

How might this result in armed conflict?