864 Ch. 22 • The Great War

Cartoon satirizing the

alliance between Germany,

Austria-Hungary, and the

Turkish Ottoman Empire

(1896).

dangerous as that between Russia and Austria-Hungary, which was focused
on the Balkans. It was accentuated by the presence within the Habsburg
Empire of South Slav peoples who looked to Russia as the protector of all
Slavs. In the meantime, Russia, with its long-standing goal of increasing
its influence in the Balkans, fanned the flames of Pan-Slavism. Germany
and Austria-Hungary became firm allies, with their alliance directed, above
all, against Russia. In 1882, Italy joined the two Central European powers
to form the Triple Alliance, which was revived in 1891 and 1902. By 1905,
growing German and British economic and military rivalry helped drive
together France and Britain, the oldest rivals in Europe. Russia, France,
and Britain formed the Triple Entente. Entangling alliances left the great
powers of Europe divided into two armed camps. Because of this alliance
system, the outbreak of war between any two rivals threatened to bring all
of the powers into the conflict.