EUROPEAN ALLIANCES ON THE EVE OF WORLD WAR I

Study the pattern of alliances shown in this map. How had the alliance system emerged to protect the varied interests and the integrity of the balance of power in Europe? Why were Germany and the Austro-Hungarian empire allied? Why would the Ottoman empire join such an alliance? Why would the Russian empire gravitate toward Great Britain and France? Did colonial rivalries inform this pattern at all? How did such a system of alliances contribute to global conflict?

d them. These demands must be hard but not so they cannot be complied with. If Serbia accepted i, we could register a noteworthy diplomatic suc-and our prestige in the Balkans would be en-:ed. If Serbia rejected our demands, then he too Id favor military action. But he would already now n record that we could aim at the down-sizing but the complete annihilation of Serbia because, first, would provoke Russia to fight to the death and, md, he—as Hungarian premier—could never con-to the monarchy's annexation of a part of Serbia, ether or not we ought to go to war with Serbia was a matter for Germany to decide. . . . Zount Berchtold] remarked that the history of the : years showed that diplomatic successes against

Serbia might enhance the prestige of the monarchy temporarily, but that in reality the tension in our relations with Serbia had only increased.

[Count Karl Stiirgkh, prime minister of Austria] . . . agreed with the Royal Hungarian Prime Minister that we and not the German government had to determine whether a war was necessary or not . . . [but] Count Tisza should take into account that in pursuing a hesitant and weak policy, we run the risk of not being so sure of Germany's unconditional support. . . .

[Leo von Bilinsky, Austro-Hungarian finance minister] . . . The Serb understands only force,- a diplomatic success would make no impression at all in Bosnia and would be harmful rather than beneficial

Date: 2015-04-20; view: 776