militarism+and+alliances+mjw

== = Militarism and Alliances =

The roots of WWI date all the way back to the 1860's when the U.S. where fighting in the Civil War Prussia launched a series of wars to unite various German states into one nation called the German Empire. The creation of this empire changed European Politics. To create their empire Germany attacked France and defeated them, forcing France to give up their territory along the French border. Germany signed alliances with Italy and Austria - Hungary that was called the Triple Alliance.

﻿ Russia who had been standing by realized Germany as a threat, thinking that Germany was going to expand into their land. In 1894 Russia and France signed the Franco-Russian Alliance that promised one would come to the others aid if Germany or Austria attacked them. The alliances encouraged militarism against one another. Eventually it made Britain get involved and they were just trying to protect the smaller countries.