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The 'Triple Alliance' was a military alliance between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy that lasted from 1882 until the start of World War I in 1914. Each member promised mutual support in the event of an attack by any two other great powers, or for Germany and Italy, an attack by France alone. In a supplementary declaration, Italy specified that her undertakings could not be regarded as being directed against the United Kingdom. Shortly after renewing the Alliance in June 1902, Italy secretly extended a similar guarantee to France.
Italy's adherence to the German-Austrian Dual Alliance was triggered partly from anger at the French 1881 seizure of Tunisia, which many Italians had seen as a potential colony. However, Italian public opinion remained unenthusiastic about their country's alignment with Austria-Hungary, a past enemy of Italian unification, and whose Italian-majority districts in the Trentino and Istria were seen as ''Italia irredenta'' ("unredeemed Italy").
In the years before World War I, many distinguished military analysts predicted that Italy would change sides. This prediction was strengthened by Italy's invasion and annexation of Tripoli, bringing it into conflict with the German-backed Ottoman Empire.
When Germany and Austria-Hungary found themselves at war in August 1914 with the rival Triple Entente of Britain, France, and the latter's ally, Russia, Italy pledged its support to the Central Powers, but subsequently entered the conflict on the side of the Entente against Austria-Hungary in May 1915 and Germany in August 1916.
Italy's ideas for maintaining the balance of power in Europe clearly gravitated towards major alliances, even if they were a passive member. Italy's reasoning for not siding with the Central Powers was that the Triple Alliance was a defensive alliance, but Germany and Austria-Hungary had taken the offensive. It is also thought that Britain and Italy had an agreement about the Mediterranean. Britain needed access to the Mediterranean, so that she could access her African and Indian empires easily. Because Italy is surrounded by the Mediterranean, it could not afford to fall out with Britain. This is thought to be another reason that Italy changed sides.

Contents

Germany

Austria-Hungary

Italy

External links

Germany

Before 1870 Germany had been a collection of small independent states of which Prussia was the most powerful. In 1870 the Prussian statesman Bismarck had won a war against France after which he united the many German states into a new and powerful Germany. Germany took from France the important industrial area of Alsace-Lorraine, and to guard against a revenge attack from the French formed an alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy.
The new Germany was especially successful in industry. By 1914 Germany's industry had overtaken Britain's and was second in the world only to that of the USA. However, Germany's leaders had great ambitions. The German Kaiser felt that Germany should be a world power and should have overseas colonies and an empire like France and Britain had. The Germans had established two colonies in Africa, but they wanted more. In the 1890's, he ordered the building of a large navy which soon became the world's second largest fleet. Only Britain had one larger. German leaders were very worried by what they called 'encirclement'. This meant that friendship between Russia to the east and France to the west was seen as an attempt to 'surround' and threaten Germany. Germany was also concerned by the huge build-up of arms, especially in Russia.

Austria-Hungary

Austria-Hungary was a sprawling empire in central Europe. It was made up of people of different ethnic groups: Germans, Magyars (Hungarians), Czechs, Slovaks, Serbs and many others. Each group had its own customs and language. Many of these groups wanted independence from Austria-Hungary.
In the north the Czech people wanted to rule themselves. The Slav peoples in the south-west (especially the Croats) wanted their own state. The Serbs living in the south wanted to be joined to the neighbouring state of Serbia. By 1914 the main concern of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary was how to keep this fragmented empire together. Austria-Hungary also faced problems from neighbouring states: Its newly independent neighbour Serbia was becoming a powerful force in the Balkans. Austria was very anxious that it should become any stronger. Its other neighbour Russia supported the Serbs, and had a very strong army.

Italy

Like Germany, Italy had been formed from a collection of former states. At first, its main concerns were to get its government established, but by 1914 Italy was settled and was looking to 'flex its muscles'. Like some of the other European powers, it wanted to set up colonies and build up an overseas empire. With this aim in mind, Italy had joined Germany and Austria in the Triple Alliance. However, there is some evidence that Germany and Austria did not entirely trust their ally. In any case, Italy was not a strong individual or military power.

External links

★ The Triple Alliance (First 8 Articles) The World War I Document Archive, Brigham Young University Library, accessed July 27, 2006

★ Triple Alliance, 1882 Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, accessed January 14, 2007