Changes

New alliances were formed in the late 1800s, some of them kept secret at the time.  German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck entered into the Dual Alliance with Austria-Hungary in 1879 as a way of protecting those countries against possible aggression by France.  Italy joined this alliance against France in 1882, making it the '''Triple Alliance'''.

New alliances were formed in the late 1800s, some of them kept secret at the time.  German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck entered into the Dual Alliance with Austria-Hungary in 1879 as a way of protecting those countries against possible aggression by France.  Italy joined this alliance against France in 1882, making it the '''Triple Alliance'''.

Bismarck was a very skilled statesman and diplomat, one of the most influential in all of world history.  He is credited with unifying Germany as a nation in the 1860s (ironically, while the United States was torn by the Civil War).  Bismarck even arranged for wars against other nations (first against Denmark, then against Austria and finally against France) in order to help unify the German people against outside enemies.  Ultimately unified as a nation in 1871, Germany made Bismarck its first Chancellor, whereupon he consolidated Germany’s power in Europe by entering into the above alliances with other countries.  After nearly two decades of rule, Bismarck was eventually forced to resign in 1890 because of a policy dispute with Wilhelm II, who as the “Kaiser” (or Caesar ) of Germany wanted more power for himself.

Bismarck was a very skilled statesman and diplomat, one of the most influential in all of world history.  He is credited with unifying Germany as a nation in the 1860s (ironically, while the United States was torn by the Civil War).  Bismarck even arranged for wars against other nations (first against Denmark, then against Austria and finally against France) in order to help unify the German people against outside enemies.  Ultimately unified as a nation in 1871, Germany made Bismarck its first Chancellor, whereupon he consolidated Germany’s power in Europe by entering into the above alliances with other countries.  After nearly two decades of rule, Bismarck was eventually forced to resign in 1890 because of a policy dispute with Wilhelm II, who as the “Kaiser” (or Caesar) of Germany wanted more power for himself.

Kaiser Wilhelm II immediately ended Germany’s alliance with Russia, which caused Russia to form an alliance with France in 1891.  In 1907 Great Britain, feeling threatened by Germany’s growing navy, joined France and Russia in their alliance, or entente, and this became the '''Triple Entente'''.  Under the terms of this alliance, Britain was not expressly required to defend France and Russia, but Britain did promise not to fight against them.

Kaiser Wilhelm II immediately ended Germany’s alliance with Russia, which caused Russia to form an alliance with France in 1891.  In 1907 Great Britain, feeling threatened by Germany’s growing navy, joined France and Russia in their alliance, or entente, and this became the '''Triple Entente'''.  Under the terms of this alliance, Britain was not expressly required to defend France and Russia, but Britain did promise not to fight against them.

Thus by 1908 one powerful group of three nations (Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary), known as the Triple Alliance, stood against another powerful group of three nations (Britain, France and Russia), known as the Triple Entente.  It was like one football team standing on a field opposite another football team, with both teams fully suited up.  It doesn’t take much for someone to shout, “let’s play,” and the battle will begin.  The “battle” became the first world war in history.

Thus by 1908 one powerful group of three nations (Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary), known as the Triple Alliance, stood against another powerful group of three nations (Britain, France and Russia), known as the Triple Entente.  It was like one football team standing on a field opposite another football team, with both teams fully suited up.  It doesn’t take much for someone to shout, “let’s play,” and the battle will begin.  The “battle” became the first world war in history.

And what a devastating war it was.  Never before in the history of the world was a war fought in such a deadly manner.  With Christians on both sides, one might wonder how this could have happened.  But this was long past the feudal times when fighting stopped on every Christian holiday.  By 1914, leaders in both Germany on one side and Britain on the other had embraced deadly beliefs like the evolutionary survival-of-the-fittest, and many educated people felt that war was an essential, inevitable part of the improvement of the human race.

And what a devastating war it was.  Never before in the history of the world was a war fought in such a deadly manner.  With Christians on both sides, one might wonder how this could have happened.  But this was long past the feudal times when fighting stopped on every Christian holiday.<ref>The first Christmas of the war, in 1914, did have some miraculous truces amid the trench warfare: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/nov/10/first-world-war-christmas-truce</ref> By 1914, leaders in both Germany on one side and Britain on the other had embraced deadly beliefs like the evolutionary survival-of-the-fittest, and many educated people felt that war was an essential, inevitable part of the improvement of the human race.

== Igniting World War I ==

== Igniting World War I ==