Who Betrayed Germany And Austria?

The alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary was formed in 1879 and was known as the Dual Alliance. It was a defensive alliance, with both countries promising to support each other in the event of an attack by Russia. Italy joined this alliance in 1882, forming the Triple Alliance. However, during World War I, Italy broke its alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, remaining neutral initially and later joining the Entente powers in 1915, declaring war on Austria-Hungary and, in 1916, on Germany.

Italy joins the alliance

In the late 1870s, Austrian territorial ambitions in the Italian Peninsula and Central Europe were thwarted by the rise of Italy and Germany as new powers. Italy and Austria-Hungary had fought three wars in the 34 years before the signing of the first treaty.

Italy had several motives for joining the existing Austro-German alliance. Firstly, the Italian government at the time was controlled by conservatives, who sympathized ideologically with the two monarchies. Catholic Austria was also a traditional protector of the Papacy, with whom Italy had poor relations. However, perhaps the most important reason was that Italy was seeking potential allies against France. The Kingdom of Italy, like most other European powers, wanted to set up colonies and build an overseas empire. Although France had supported Italian unification, Italy's colonial ambitions in Africa quickly brought it into rivalry with France. This was reflected in anger at the French conquest of Tunisia in 1881, the so-called "Slap of Tunis" by the Italian press, which many Italians had seen as a potential colony.

By joining the alliance, Italy hoped to guarantee itself support in the case of foreign aggression. The alliance compelled any signatory country to support the other parties if two other countries attacked. Germany had won a war against France in 1870 and was a natural ally for Italy. Thus, Italy found itself coming to terms with its historical enemy, Austria-Hungary.

Italian public opinion, however, remained unenthusiastic about their country's alignment with Austria-Hungary, a past enemy of Italian unification. Italian-populated districts in the Trentino and Istria were seen as occupied territories by Italian irredentists. In the years before World War I, many distinguished military analysts predicted that Italy would attack its supposed ally in the event of a large-scale conflict.

On 20 May 1882, Italy officially joined the alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, forming the Triple Alliance. The alliance was renewed every five years until 1914.

Italy defaults on its obligations

In 1915, Italy broke its alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary, known as the Triple Alliance, by declaring war on Austria-Hungary and later, in 1916, on Germany.

The Triple Alliance was formed in 1882, with the addition of Italy to the Dual Alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary, which had been established in 1879. The alliance was a defensive pact, with each member promising mutual support in the event of an attack by another great power, specifically Russia or France.

However, Italy did not immediately go to war with its allies at the outbreak of World War I in 1914, instead choosing to remain neutral. This was due to Italy's conflicting interests with Austria-Hungary in the Balkans region, as well as Italian public opinion being unenthusiastic about an alliance with Austria-Hungary, a past enemy of Italian unification.

Italy eventually sided with the Triple Entente and declared war on Austria-Hungary in 1915, after parallel negotiations with both alliances. Italy's default on its obligations under the Triple Alliance was influenced by its desire to gain support against France, with whom it had rival colonial ambitions in North Africa, particularly after Italy's loss in establishing a colony in Tunisia in 1881. Additionally, Italy sought to maintain its independence and prevent foreign aggression, which it believed the alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary would provide.

Despite Italy's initial neutrality, its eventual entry into World War I on the side of the Triple Entente contributed to the defeat of the Central Powers, which included Germany and Austria-Hungary, in 1918.

Austria-Hungary and Germany's conflicting ambitions

Austria-Hungary's war aims were largely shaped by the need to preserve the integrity of the monarchy and its position as a great power. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo served as a catalyst for the conflict with Serbia, as Vienna sought to punish Serbia and curb South Slavic agitation. Additionally, the Balkan Wars altered the status of Austria-Hungary, highlighting its military unpreparedness and raising questions about its long-term future as a great power.

The divergent goals of Austria-Hungary and Germany became more apparent as the war progressed. While Austria-Hungary focused on Serbia, Germany was primarily concerned with the conflict with France. As Austria-Hungary faced military setbacks, it became increasingly dependent on German military and economic assistance, shifting the balance of power within the alliance. By 1916, the German High Command took effective control of Austria-Hungary's military, and the summer of 1916 saw the supreme command being taken over entirely by the Germans.

Austria-Hungary's war aims evolved throughout the conflict, reflecting the changing fortunes of war. Initially, the focus was on defending Bosnia-Herzegovina from Serbia and addressing the Serbian threat. However, as the war progressed, discussions turned to possible territorial acquisitions, economic considerations, and the future relationship with Germany. The idea of a Mitteleuropa under German domination was proposed, but this concept was met with resistance, particularly from the Magyar leadership in Hungary.

By 1917, the war had taken a significant toll on Austria-Hungary, and the monarchy's chief goal shifted to survival. The entry of the United States into the war further weakened Austria-Hungary's position, and the eventual collapse of the monarchy in November 1918 marked a total disaster for the alliance.

Britain aligns with France and Russia

The unification of Germany in 1871 disturbed the old 'balance of power' in Europe. This, along with Germany's growing strength and pursuit of 'world power' status, encouraged Britain to align with its traditional rivals, France and Russia.

The Franco-Russian Alliance of 1894 pushed Germany into a closer alliance with its neighbour, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, resulting in the Dual Alliance of 1879. This alliance was a defensive pact in which the two powers promised each other support in the case of an attack by Russia. The addition of Italy in 1902 formed the Triple Alliance.

In the early 1900s, a dangerous rift arose between Russia and Austria-Hungary, who had conflicting ambitions in South-Eastern Europe. Austria-Hungary's desire to crush Serbia and Russia's support for the latter during the crisis of 1914 were motivated by fear that they would lose their status as 'Great Powers' if they backed down.

Britain's policy was to maintain a balance of power in Europe. To achieve this, the country formed an alliance with France in 1904 and Russia in 1907, connecting Britain, France, and Russia in the Triple Entente. This stoked German fears of 'encirclement' and German generals increasingly feared the growing military threat of Russia.

In August 1914, the military and political leadership of Germany concluded that war should be risked 'now or never' if they were to achieve their vision of Germany's destiny. They planned to defeat France swiftly before Russia could marshal its forces. The invasion of France and the violation of Belgian neutrality brought Britain into the war.

Germany's invasion of Belgium

On August 2, 1914, Germany issued an ultimatum to Belgium, forcing King Albert and his government to choose between fighting or being conquered. King Albert took personal command of the armed forces and, despite being outnumbered, decided to resist the German invasion. This resistance was significant as it helped to thwart the Schlieffen Plan.

The Belgian Army, consisting of 43,000 men, had been placed on its borders following the warlike statements made after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914. The German invasion began on August 4, quickly overwhelming Belgian defences. King Albert was forced to relocate his government to Le Havre in France. However, the Belgian Army's resistance was stronger than the Germans anticipated, which contributed to the delay of the German advance. By the end of September 1914, Germany had gained control over most of Belgium.

The German invasion of Belgium during World War I had significant consequences. Over a quarter of a million Belgians fled to England, creating social and economic challenges for the British government. Additionally, allegations of atrocities committed by both German soldiers and Belgians surfaced, with reports of brutality towards civilians, particularly women and children.

During World War II, Germany again invaded Belgium as part of its strategy to defeat Britain and France. This invasion, which began in May 1940, resulted in the surrender of the Belgian army within a matter of weeks.

Thus, Germany's invasion of Belgium in 1914 and 1940 had far-reaching impacts, contributing to the course and outcome of both World Wars and shaping the experiences of civilians and refugees.

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