Realpolitik Turns on Itself

1. RealpolitikTurns on Itself Ali Dalton, Madeline Townsley, Becky Ferber

2. Realpolitik Unification of Germany No More Shifting Alliances No more Shared Values End of Realpolitik=War

3. Realpolitik The policies put in place in Europe after the chaos of 1848 in order to insure peace across the continent • Relies On- • Shifting Alliances • Shared Values • Both • i. Metternich system “For the practice of Realpolitik avoids armaments races and war only if the major players of an international system are free to adjust their relations in accordance with changing circumstances or are restrained by a system of shared values, or both.” -Kissinger

4. Unification of Germany Concert of Europe German Power ++ B.O.P! Common Sense Balkan Nationalism ↑↑ • Russia soon transformed itself into a huge threat to the Balance of Power, eliminating all chances for successful alliances to be formed • Germany faced the constant threat of hostile, encircling nations, forcing Germany to remain on the permanent defense against a coalition amongst the periphery. • Germany tried desperately to preserve the Austro-Hungarian empire, its only dependable ally • A Problem presented itself however in Bismark’s desire to not challenge Russia, a major threat to the Austro Hungarian Empire

5. End of shifting alliances • Britain’s policy of “splendid isolation” • Britain does not wish to intervene in European issues unless the BOP is directly under attack • Britain does not recognize Germany’s unification as a threat to the BOP until it is too late • Britain is to passive to form alliances • Fear and resentment lead to France’s becoming an enemy of Germany • Russia has hostility towards Austria-Hungary, which is an ally of Germany. It will gladly ally with France to oppose Germany, and therefore its enemy of Austria-Hungary. • Germanyforms a permanent alliance with Austria-Hungary in 1879 • This alliance is both a defensive measure against other competing European countries as well as a method of protecting Bismarck’s German policies Germany…what about it?!

6. No more shared values • Germany needs an alliance with both Austria and Russia for peace • kept it earlier with a sense of shared conservative values- a fear of nationalism and revolutionary republicanism. • Alliance won’t work because: • Austria: Germany unifies and pushes out Austria whose only place is to expand into the Russian Balkans which heightens conflict between Austria and Russia. • Russia: German unification causes fear and insecurity in Russia and they start expanding. They grow powerful and evoke Russian nationalism to help them grow larger. • Russia no longer fears nationalism and is powerful enough to think they can deal with revolutions on their own.

7. End of Realpolitik Bismarck can no longer avoid war by shifting alliances and having shared values. Confrontation between Germany and other powers becomes inevitable. The First World War breaks out; without an alliance between Germany, Russia, and Austria, Great Britain and France are able to ally against Germany.