The state of international relations by 1900: Anglo-French rivalry; Anglo-German relations; the Franco-Russian alliance; Germany's Dual Alliance with Austria-Hungary; potential for conflict
By 1900, Europe's major powers had formed competing alliances and nursed deep rivalries. These fault lines made a large-scale war increasingly possible.
Real World
The Franco-Russian Alliance of 1894 meant that when Germany mobilised against France in 1914, Russia was treaty-bound to respond — turning a bilateral dispute into a continental war within days.
Exam Focus
Distinguish between formal alliances (binding treaties) and ententes (informal understandings) — examiners penalise conflating the two.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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