Untitled - OUDL Home

only if Germany were not the attacking party. A similarprovision governed the case of an Austro-Russian war.In addition, the treaty committed Germany to newobligations, though not to new lines of policy, in promisingdiplomatic support to Russia on Bulgaria and the Straits.This has justly been one of the most criticized pointsof Bismarck's diplomacy. He was so uncertain of theRussian government's ability or will to curb bellicosenationalism at home that in the greatest secrecy heencouraged England and Italy to combine with Austria-Hungary to prevent the realization of those Russian aimsin Bulgaria and at the Straits, which in the reinsurancetreaty he had undertaken to support diplomatically.5. The long-standing Russian antagonism to England,already fanned by the Pendjeh crisis on the Afghanfrontier (1885), was further increased by Salisbury'spolicy of the Mediterranean agreements (1887) directedagainst Russia in the Balkans. This concert with two ofthe Triple Alliance powers caused Russia to fear "themore or less probable adhesion of Great Britain to thepolitical aims which that alliance pursues" (Giers, 1891).This fear was very influential in bringing Russia tomake definite alliance in 1893 with France. In 1890Bismarck, who set the utmost store on maintaining a linewith St Petersburg, was dismissed by the young emperorWilliam II (1888-1918), and despite Russian desiresnothing was put in the place of the reinsurance treaty whichwas due to expire in that year. Alexander III was slowlydriven to the reluctant conclusion that the Marseillaise mustbe played and the health of the Third Republic drunk.The alliance with France was made in order to counterbalancethe Triple Alliance, but it was the reverse of truethat henceforward Europe was neatly aligned into twohostile camps. Since Russian energies were being moreand more directed to the Far East and the Middle Eastand the central powers were not immediately menacingin Europe, the Franco-Russian alliance in fact for its firstdozen years was pointed against the common enemyEngland, not the common enemy Germany, still lessagainst Austria-Hungary with whom France had noquarrels or Italy with whom Russia had none.424