how did kaiser wilhelm I undo Bismark efforts
Otto Von Bismarck worked on the two issues, unification of Germany and isolation of France (Germany's mortal enemy). He believed that as long as Britain, Russia and Italy were assured of the peaceful nature of the German Empire, the French could be contained. Kaiser Wilhelm II’s style of working and understanding of foreign relations strengthened and unified other European powers against Germany in time for World War I. There are numerous examples of how reversal in policies of Wilhelm II acted as a catalyst to trigger off sensitive issues such as militarism, nationalism, imperialism and caused imbalance in the alliances leading to the onset of The First World War.
Kaiser Wilhelm II’s foreign policy undid Bismarck’s policies, where he worked towards avoiding a war on two fronts for Germany. Apart from Austria-Hungary Alliance (1879), Three Emperor's Alliance (1881), treaties with Serbia in 1881 and Romania in 1883, Triple Alliance (1882) and eventually the Reinsurance Treaty with Russia (1887), which he considered essential to keep the Russians from reaching an alliance with the French and threaten Germany on two sides. The Schlieffen Plan, conceived by Count Alfred von Schlieffen in 1905 and further refined in the years was to cater for this eventuality. This occurred when the Russian Treaty was scheduled to expire in June 1890 and the Russians under The Tzar, Alexander III were aware of the fact that Bismarck was about to be replaced. Therefore, to secure relations with Germany they suggested renewing the Reinsurance Treaty for 6 years instead of 3 years. The new German Chancellor Caprivi and Wilhelm II decided not to renew it, this gave Russia a feeling of being isolated and vulnerable as her relations with Britain were not good at that time and it was just a natural development that France and Russia form an alliance. The French diplomats immediately began to work on this with the Tzar and an alliance was negotiated in 1894. This action was the one where
Kaiser Wilhelm II’s foreign policy undid Bismarck’s policies, where he worked towards avoiding a war on two fronts for Germany. Apart from Austria-Hungary Alliance (1879), Three Emperor's Alliance (1881), treaties with Serbia in 1881 and Romania in 1883, Triple Alliance (1882) and eventually the Reinsurance Treaty with Russia (1887), which he considered essential to keep the Russians from reaching an alliance with the French and threaten Germany on two sides. The Schlieffen Plan, conceived by Count Alfred von Schlieffen in 1905 and further refined in the years was to cater for this eventuality. This occurred when the Russian Treaty was scheduled to expire in June 1890 and the Russians under The Tzar, Alexander III were aware of the fact that Bismarck was about to be replaced. Therefore, to secure relations with Germany they suggested renewing the Reinsurance Treaty for 6 years instead of 3 years. The new German Chancellor Caprivi and Wilhelm II decided not to renew it, this gave Russia a feeling of being isolated and vulnerable as her relations with Britain were not good at that time and it was just a natural development that France and Russia form an alliance. The French diplomats immediately began to work on this with the Tzar and an alliance was negotiated in 1894. This action was the one where