Evolving British Alliances

• Britain abandoned her policy of ‘Splendid Isolation’ by 1900 because:

  • There had been a decline in world trade and industrial production
  • There were frequent disputes over colonial territories which made it increasingly risky to avoid binding agreements with other powers
• Queen Victoria (grandmother to Kaiser Wilhelm II), Prime minister, Lord Salisbury, and Secretary of State for the Colonies, Joseph Chamberlain were all in favour of an alliance with Germany
• Britain was reluctant to join the Triple Alliance because:

  • Britain ministers foresaw the potential for conflict between Austria-Hungary and Russia in the Balkans
  • German naval fleet construction had started in 1898
• The Anglo-Japanese agreement, 1902

  • Britain and Japan sought to defend their empires and trade against Russia and Germany
  • The agreement stated that if either side was attacked by two or more powers in the Far East both would support one another
• After Queen Victoria’s death, negotiations with France began as Edward VII, Queen Victoria’s successor, was personally suspicious of the Kaiser’s intentions

  • In 1903 Edward visited Paris which started with hostile press but by the end Edward had won the public over with his charm
• The terms of The Anglo-French Entente (Entente Cordiale), 1904

  • Britain and France settled their colonial disputes
  • France recognised Egypt was Britain’s
  • Britain agreed not to oppose France in Morocco
• ▪ Both France and Britain agreed to help the other against outside powers in the event of any disputes over Egypt and Morocco

  ▪ Regular consultations on naval and military matters were arranged
• Russian expansion in the Far East brought it into conflict with Japan in 1898 and again in 1903

  • In 1907 Russia made an agreement with Japan to guarantee China’s independence and settled their disagreements over Korea
  • It seemed that what had divided Britain and Russia was no longer relevant
• The terms of the Anglo-Russian Agreement, 1907

  • An agreement was reached on the Afghanistan-Indian border
  • Britain was given control over Afghanistan’s foreign policy
  • Britain and Russia were given equal trading rights
  • Russia was given control over Northern Persia
  • Britain controlled Southern Persia and the Persian Gulf
• The Anglo-Russo Agreement formed the basis of the Triple Entente (Russia, Britain, and France) however there were no military commitments.
• The Triple Alliance (AH, Germany, Italy) was defensive in its aims, stating that countries would only join a war if their allies were attacked by other powers. 
• The Russian government wanted to resolve its colonial rivalry with Britain to attain further security.
• The Second Boer War had exposed the weaknesses and inefficiencies of the British Army and made alliances appear more useful.