View source for Dual Alliance (1879)

{{short description|Alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary}}
{{original research|date=November 2023}}
[[File:Dual Alliance in 1914.png|300px|thumbnail|right|The Dual Alliance in 1914, [[German Empire|Germany]] in blue and [[Austria-Hungary]] in red]]
The '''Dual Alliance''' ({{langx|de|Zweibund}}, {{langx|hu|Kettős Szövetség}}) was a [[Military alliance|defensive alliance]] between [[German Empire|Germany]] and [[Austria-Hungary]], which was created by treaty on October 7, 1879, as part of Germany's [[Otto von Bismarck|Otto von Bismarck's]] system of alliances to prevent or limit war.<ref>Rene Albrecht Carrie, ''A Diplomatic History of Europe Since the Congress of Vienna'' (1958) pp. 177–179.</ref> The two powers promised each other support in case of attack by Russia. Also, each state promised [[benevolent neutrality]] to the other if one of them was attacked by another European power (generally taken to be [[French Third Republic|France]], even more so after the [[Franco-Russian Alliance]] of 1894). [[Otto von Bismarck|Bismarck]] saw the alliance as a way to prevent the isolation of the German Empire, which had just been founded a few years before, and to preserve peace, as Russia would not wage war against both empires.<ref>Roland G. Usher, "Austro-German Relations Since 1866." ''American Historical Review'' 23.3 (1918): 577–595 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1835275.pdf online].</ref><ref>Christopher Andrew, "German world policy and the reshaping of the dual alliance." ''Journal of Contemporary History'' 1.3 (1966): 137–151 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/259939 online].</ref> {{Events leading to World War I}}

==Formation==
When Austria-Hungary and Germany formed an alliance in 1879, it was one of the more surprising alliances of its time. {{Citation needed|date=March 2023}} Though both shared the German language and a similar culture, Austria-Hungary and Germany were often driven apart, most notably during the recent [[Austro-Prussian War]]. Additionally, the Habsburg rulers believed that the promotion of nationalism, which was favoured by Germany, would destroy their multinational empire. However, their common distrust of Russia brought both empires together for a common cause.<ref>Martel, Gordon. ''The Origins of the First World War''. Third edition, 2003, p. 21.{{ISBN?}}</ref>

==Alliance against Russia==
After the formation of the German Empire in 1871, German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck wanted to portray his nation as a peacemaker and preserver of the European status quo, to gain more power for the German Empire and to unify Germany. In 1878, the [[Russian Empire]] defeated the [[Ottoman Empire]] in the [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|Russo-Turkish War]]. The resulting [[Treaty of San Stefano]] gave Russia considerable influence in the [[Balkans]], a development that outraged Austria-Hungary, Russia's chief rival in the Balkan region (despite being an ally of the Russians and the Germans in the [[League of the Three Emperors]]). Hence, in 1878, Bismarck called an international conference (the [[Congress of Berlin]]) to sort out the problem. The [[Treaty of Berlin, 1878|Treaty of Berlin]] that resulted from the conference reversed Russia's gains from the Treaty of San Stefano and provided the Austrians with compensation in the form of [[Vilayet of Bosnia|Bosnia]]. Despite Bismarck's attempts to play the role of an "honest broker" at the Congress of Berlin, Russo-German relations deteriorated following the conference. The Three Emperors' League was discontinued, and Germany and Austria-Hungary were free to ally against Russia.<ref>Buce Waller, "Bismarck, the Dual Alliance and Economic Central Europe, 1877–1885." ''VSWG: Vierteljahrschrift für Sozial-und Wirtschaftsgeschichte'' 63#4 (1976): 454–467 [https://www.jstor.org/stable/20730458 online in English].</ref>

==Italy joins alliance==
In 1881, [[Kingdom of Italy|Italy]] lost in the competition with France to establish a colony in Tunis (now [[Tunisia]]). To enlist diplomatic support, Italy joined Germany and Austria-Hungary to form the [[Triple Alliance (1882)|Triple Alliance]] in 1882.

During [[World War I]], however, Italy did not go to war immediately with its allies but stayed neutral. In 1915, it joined the Entente powers and declared war on Austria-Hungary and, in 1916, against Germany. The Dual Alliance persisted throughout the war as part of the [[Central Powers]] and ended with their defeat in 1918.

==References==
<references />

==Further reading==
*  Nicholas Der Bagdasarian, ''The Austro-German Rapprochement, 1872–1879: From the Battle of Sedan to the Dual Alliance'' (1976). [https://academic.oup.com/ahr/article-abstract/82/3/673/82169 online review].
* Agatha Ramm. ''Europe in the Nineteenth Century 1789–1905'' (1984) pp. 330–341.{{ISBN?}}

==External links==
* {{wikisource-inline|single=yes}} - a translation
* [http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/dualalli.asp Translated text of the Dual Alliance]

{{Great power diplomacy}}
{{Great Eastern Crisis}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1879 in Austria-Hungary]]
[[Category:Military alliances involving Austria-Hungary]]
[[Category:19th-century military alliances]]
[[Category:1879 treaties]]
[[Category:Military alliances involving the German Empire]]
[[Category:1879 in Germany]]
[[Category:Austria–Germany relations]]
[[Category:Austria-Hungary–Germany relations]]
[[Category:October 1879]]