Ancient history

Let's take a look at the background of the Franco-Russian Alliance [European history]

In the article "Russo-Japanese War from the Perspective of World History", I briefly mentioned the connection between France and Russia.

This time, as a supplement, I would like to explore the situation in Europe that led to the formation of the Franco-Russian Alliance.

Collapse of the Concert of Europe

The Vienna system is the bourgeois revolution in France from the latter half of the 18th century against the backdrop of the spread of the Enlightenment and liberalism. It refers to the international order that was created after the event occurred and somehow ended.

This revolution has changed the politics of neighboring countries, so I will write in a little more detail.

The rise of Napoleon-Bonaparte

Bourgeois Revolution in France French Revolution So Napoleon =Bonaparte When he controlled the turmoil, the people became enthusiastic about him and embraced control.

As many European countries have suppressed the revolution, the French people begin to recognize that they have taken hostile action from neighboring countries. Therefore, Napoleon started an external war with the support of the people. Napoleon has won in many places.

The Holy Roman Empire has completely disappeared And later German Confederation with Austria as its ally Has been launched.

In this battle, each country nationalism from the feeling of "protecting their own country and people!" (Both nationalism and nationalism) have begun to emerge.

Eventually, Russia, which had once lost and cooperated with France, sanctioned Britain (= Berlin Decree ) Russia expedition because of uncooperativeness When attacked by (Russia's homeland war), the wind direction begins to change.

With the help of General Winter, Russia repelled France. Taking this opportunity, other countries also started a counterattack against France, and Napoleon was forced to fall.

The result here is Metternich (墺) Vienna system trying to suppress the revolutionary forces under the initiative is. Liberalism Nationalism As the revolution took place, the royal government was restored in each country in an attempt to restore the original system.

The Vienna system is Russia's Alexander I Holy Alliance advocated by (1815) [Participation of all European monarchs except the Pope of England, Sat, and Rome] and Quadruple Alliance for the purpose of maintaining the status quo (1815) [British, Russian, Austro-Russian, and Fu participated, and later France joined to join the Quintuple Alliance] became the pillar.

However, it is extremely difficult to be suppressed once you know your freedom. Enlightenment thought, liberalism, and nationalism will spread to Europe again.

What happened in the 19th century?

As you can imagine, even if the Vienna system was established, it started around 1820.

  • Germany: Burschenschaft movement
    Self-liberal movement by student groups
  • Italy: Carbonari Movement
    A movement by secret societies of small landowners and commerce and industry. Aiming to unify Italy, resisting the rule of the 墺
  • Russia: Decembrist Revolt
    Touching the free air in the Napoleonic Wars, pessimistic about the dire situation of serfs and opposition to tyranny
Liberal and nationalist movements such as

have started to be suppressed.

Eventually, it fails to suppress, and examples such as Latin American countries and Greek independence begin to emerge.

In addition, France also denied the royal government again in 1830 July Revolution . Occurs. The July Revolution will build a new dynasty, which is also February Revolution When defeated by, the movement toward liberalism spread to each country.

Of particular note on the map above is the Hungarian Independence Movement in the Austrian Empire. is. In this independence movement, Russia supported Austria. This relationship would later change Austria's position and change its balance of power within Europe.

Crimean War

Russia, which began to realize the difference with Western countries in these battles and exchanges with foreign countries, began to aim for an ice-free port with the aim of economic development through trade.

To the south of Russia is the Black Sea, which does not freeze even in winter, but you must pass through the straits controlled by the Ottoman Empire to reach beyond that. Seeing the Ottoman Empire, which began to lose power, Russia wanted to "put the harbor under their influence" and launched the Crimean War.

In the end, the Ottoman Empire has won the Crimean War with the support of Britain and France, who have begun to worry about Russia's southward movement.

One notable event in this war is the deterioration of Austro-Russian relations. Russia's support for the Hungarian independence movement can no longer be expected due to worsening relations, and later Austria-Hungary It led to the establishment of a double empire.

Conclusion of the Paris Treaty (1856) and its impact

Concert of Europe that has begun to be nullified by numerous liberal movements Paris Treaty to end the Crimean War The Holy Alliance disappeared and it completely collapsed (naturally because the great powers who formed a cooperative relationship in the Vienna system fought).

* France February Revolution And Austria March Revolution There is also the idea that Metternich is banished and regarded as a collapse.

Austria, which has begun to gradually lose its influence in Germany due to the independence movement in its territory, will also lose its influence in Europe due to the collapse of the regime.

Changes in Germany after the Crimean War

In the midst of these changes, the Austro-Prussian War over the top of the German Confederation (1866) broke out.

Prussia, who won this war, became the lord of Germany North German Confederation Is new. The defeated Austria was removed from Germany and the other German nations approached Prussian.

Furthermore, considering the power relationship with Hungary, which was ruled by Austria, the year after the defeat, Austria-Hungary Empire Has been established.

Changes in France after the Crimean War

In 1870, Prussia also fought France. So-called Franco-Prussian War is.

Bismarck of Prussia's Chancellor who wants to give momentum to the unification of Germany Is the emperor of France Napoleon III (Napoleon III also had a desire to prevent Prussia's influence).

From Otto von Bismarck (wikipedia)

This Franco-Prussian War Then Britain did not intervene, Russia Alexander II In the era of, I saw a gap and started to go south.

The citizens of Paris who learned that the emperor was taken prisoner in the Franco-Prussian War uprised and the imperial government collapsed. A temporary defense government was established in 1870, but the German army invaded as it was. The caretaker government continues to fight, but eventually surrenders.

France changed its politics to the Third Republic when it paid compensation for the Franco-Prussian War. Alsace-Lorraine region that also produces iron ore and coal Is also robbed.

* Republic:A political system without a monarch

Prussia-led! Building a Bismarck system

Bismarck, who caused the Franco-Prussian War, is a great power opposite France to protect his country, a military alliance between Russia and Austria, League of the Three Emperors (1873) was concluded.

However, the Austro-Russian relationship does not go well due to the problems of the Balkan Peninsula. Russo-Turkish War over the independence of the Balkans during the alliance In the post-processing, the League of the Three Emperors collapsed.

Nevertheless, Germany was worried that if either Russia or Austria was tied to France, it could be in a difficult situation, so it first signed a bilateral alliance.

This is where Bismarck is good. Dual Alliance with an eye on Russia By concluding (1879), it puts pressure on Russia and fuels a sense of crisis toward France. In this way, the cooperation system in the three countries again Three Emperor Kyosho He succeeded in tying (1881).

Of course, it seems that the reason why Austria was prioritized in bilateral relations was that a large country like Russia was wary that "if you get an ice-free port, it may be out of control ...".

Italy joins the Austro-Russian Alliance

Moreover, Bismarck did not let go because of the isolation of France.

Around this time, Italy, which borders France, had a conflict over Tunisia in Africa, so it joined the Triple Alliance in the form of joining the Dual Alliance. It signed (1882).

What are the problems that occurred in France and Italy?

At that time, France had a lot of restrictions on its activities in Europe by Bismarck, so colonial expansion policy toward Africa and Asia. Is accelerating.

On the other hand, in Italy, I thought that "Tunisia is my own economic zone" because economic exchanges with Tunisia have been active for some time, but it repelled because France became a protectorate as part of its policy. Italy's sentiment towards France seems to have deteriorated significantly.

What are the problems with joining Italy in the Russian Alliance?

Naturally, it is a secret alliance that is secret to the surroundings because it contains inconsistencies with the League of the Three Emperors (Germany, 墺, Russia) because it is a form of "joining the German Alliance" that suppresses Russia.

At this point, Italy and Austria had territorial disputes. This is because Italy has fought many times with Austria, the ruler, for unification.

It was a treaty that Bismarck could finally conclude, proposing to Italy that "it would be tough to deal with both France and Austria."

What is the cooperation system created between Germany and Russia?

Germany has formed a dual alliance with Austria in the Dual Alliance, but has not formed an alliance with Russia, and the League of the Three Emperors has expired. Therefore, there is a reinsurance treaty between Germany and Russia. He concludes (1887) and refuses to worry about his patronage.

For Russia, there was concern that it would collide with Britain in Central Asia and Iran, so it seems that the treaty was looking ahead to Britain.

Bismarck's defeat and worsening German-Russia relations

In France, where the recession has continued amid the ongoing revenge against Germany since the Franco-Prussian War, the Boulangist incident is frequent. And Dreyfus Bismarck was very careful about relations with France, as there was a problem associated with exclusionary nationalism targeting Germany (+ Jewish ← rich).

Boulangism :General Boulanger, who showed a strong stance toward Germany, became popular and a mass movement against the regime took place.
Dreyfus affair :Jewish officer Dreyfus was exiled as a German spy

For that reason, we had formed alliances and treaties that included contradictions ...

The coronation of Emperor Wilhelm II

German Emperor Wilhelm I with a strong sense of trust Bismarck established a long-term government under his reign, but the situation changed completely when the emperor died at the age of 90.

The next coronation, Frederick III, died of laryngeal cancer in less than 100 days. The next emperor was 29-year-old Wilhelm II . was.

In Germany, when he took the throne, strikes by miners in the Ruhr region were already widespread nationwide, and Bismarck's policy of maintaining the status quo was gradually becoming stalemate.

The emperor recommends a policy of refusing to extend the Anti-Socialist Law in order to sympathize with the workers and bring them into the regime, but Bismarck opposes this. Bismarck submitted his 1890 resignation when other policies conflicted. His time will be over.

The defeat of such a big man had a great impact on German diplomacy. In the same year, the reinsurance treaty between Germany and Russia, which was about to be renewed, was rejected because it was inconsistent with the Triple Alliance. It has been.

Clash between Pan-Germanism and Pan-Slavism

Pan-Germanism must not be forgotten in the ideas that support Wilhelm II's policies. .. "Let's integrate the German people!"

There was a hidden speculation that "the trend of expansion due to population growth" and "I want to sell the produced products overseas ...!" Due to the rapid growth of the German economy after the Industrial Revolution in heavy industry.

Emperor of Austria Franz Joseph I to this idea Also tunes in. There was no idea of ​​coalition, but

  • Expansion into the Balkan Peninsula
  • To suppress the large number of Slavic residents in Japan

emphasizes cooperation with Germany.

Why did you attach great importance to Germany? Speaking of which, Austria is Pan-Slavic that Russia "let's unite and unite with the Slavic people". Because it was repulsive to.

  • Slavic inhabitants in Austria have been devoted
  • Russia has advanced to the Balkan Peninsula, which is adjacent to Austria, because of its ideas.

So Russia and Austria were completely hostile, so Germany's cooperation was essential to interacting with the great powers.

Germany's anti-British anti-Russian policy

While Germany rejected the re-guarantee treaty with Russia, it approached Britain, which Russia had begun to collide with in the vicinity of Central Asia and Iran, and signed a treaty in 1890 to exchange it for foreign territory. is.

It is said that there was an intention to draw Britain to the Triple Alliance side with this treaty as an opportunity, and the basic stance for a while was pro-British anti-Russian, but Germany and the colony are already secured in the direction of expansion. Britain cannot go well and bilateral relations will worsen.

Formation of the Franco-Russian Alliance

Russia begins to approach France, which Germany has been most wary of so far, from Germany's explicit attitude.

In addition to the fact that France was severely suppressed by the Bismarck regime, it still had territorial disputes with Germany. In addition, there were cases where Britain also collided with the colonial expansion policy, and the surroundings were full of enemies, so they agreed with each other's interests and Franco-Russian Alliance . Was to be tied.