Major Alliance System
Alliance System in Europe before World War I (1914). The diagram illustrates the rival alliance blocs—the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) and the Triple Entente (Britain, France, and Russia)—along with the Balkan tensions and treaty network that contributed to the outbreak of World War I. Balkans The Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe. The region has historically been characterized by ethnic diversity, nationalism, and strategic competition among major powers, earning the title ‘Powder Keg of Europe’ before World War I. ...