The Franco-Russian Alliance (1894)

The opportunity for an agreement between Russia and France arose in the wake of Germany’s dropping of her treaty with Russia (the Reinsurance treaty) in 1890. An alliance with Russia was most attractive to France considering Bismarck's success in isolating her diplomatically over the previous decade while, for Russia, the recent renewal of the Triple Alliance (of Germany, Austria and Italy) prompted consideration of her own now isolated position.. Favorable, also, was the drawing together of Russia and France consequent upon major loans to the former by French banks as well as French military assistance in weapons procurement. Though this military alliance was drawn up in 1892, it took another 16 months before final approval was secured by the tsar's signature on Jan. 4, 1894 (see Summary reference document for additional comment :

  1. If France is attacked by Germany, or by Italy supported by Germany, Russia will employ all her available forces for an attack on Germany.
    If Russia is attacked by Germany, or by Austria supported by Germany, France will employ all her available forces for an attack on Germany.

  2. In case the forces of the Triple Alliance [i.e., Germany, Austria, Italy] or of one of the partners of that Alliance should mobilize [i.e., ready their troops for possible action across frontiers], France and Russia, at the first announcement of that event and without necessity for prior agreement, will immediately and simultaneously mobilize the totality of their forces and will move them as close as possible to their frontiers.

  3. The available forces to be employed against Germany shall be: on the French side, 1,300,000 men; on the Russian side, 700,000 - 800,000 men.
    These forces will enter into combat with full strength, in such a manner as to oblige Germany to fight simultaneously in both east and West.

  4. The general staffs of the armies of the two countries shall concert [i.e., coordinate], at every stage, their efforts to prepare and facilitate the measures here envisaged.
    They shall communicate to each other in time of peace all information that may come to their knowledge concerning the armaments of the triple Alliance.
    The ways and means of corresponding in time of war shall be studied and arranged in advance.

  5. France and Russia will not conclude peace separately with the Triple Alliance.

  6. This convention shall have the same duration as the Triple Alliance.

  7. All the clauses numbered above shall be held rigorously secret.

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