Bis­mar­ck­'s policy of alliances in the Empire

With his foreign policy, the German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck pursued the goal of isolating the "hereditary enemy" France and preventing possible revenge campaigns.Alliances with Russia, Austria-Hungary and Italy were also intended to position the new German Empire securely in the middle of the major European powers and, in particular, to help avoid a two-front situation in the event of war. In 1873, the Three Emperors' Agreement was concluded with Russia and Austria-Hungary, but this failed in 1885/86 due to differing interests in the Balkans. The Dual Alliance with Austria-Hungary followed in 1879, followed by Italy in the Triple Alliance of 1882. Of particular importance was the secret reinsurance treaty with Tsarist Russia (1887), which was initially concluded for three years and in which neutrality was mutually assured in the event of war by a third party. After Bismarck's dismissal in 1890, Kaiser Wilhelm II decided not to extend the treaty and to protect the German Empire through its own military build-up rather than through alliances.