The Triple Alliance, 1882

This alliance of peace and friendship was an extension of the Austro-German Dual Alliance to include Italy. When Italy found her colonial ambitions in Africa thwarted by France's occupation of Tunisia in 1881, she approached both Germany and her erstwhile enemy Austria for an agreement. This alliance accomplished several purposes. It helped to reconcile the differences between Austria and Italy, promised Italy's help to Germany in case of a French attack on her (something she had not been able to extract from Austria), and guaranteed Italy the aid of her partners in case of an attack by France. The secret Treaty was renewed in 1887 but important changes occurred in 1902 that removed the promise of Italian aid to Germany in the event of a French attack on that country. This arose out of a secret agreement with France whereby that country gave Italy a free hand as to her colonial ambitions in Tripoli (North Africa). Finally, this Alliance broke down completely when Italy refused to enter the war on the side of her alliance partners in 1914; the excuse (valid according to her obligations) being that no aggressive action against Austria had taken place when she declared war on Serbia. Relevant sections of the renewal alliance of 1903 follow:

CLAUSE III. In case one or two of the High Contracting Parties, without direct provocation on their part, should be attacked by one or more Great Powers not signatory of the present Treaty and should become involved in a war with them, the casus foederis [i.e., the event provoking a war] would arise simultaneously for all the High Contracting Parties.

CLAUSE IV. In case a Great Power not signatory of the present Treaty should threaten the State security of one of the High Contracting Parties, and in case the threatened party should thereby be compelled to declare war against that Great Power, the two other contracting parties engage themselves to maintain benevolent neutrality towards their Ally. Each of them reserves its right, in this case, to take part in the war if it thinks fit in order to make common cause with its Ally.

CLAUSE VII. Austria-Hungary and Italy, who have solely in view the maintenance, as far as possible, of the territorial status quo in the East [vis-à-vis Turkey], engage themselves to use their influence to prevent all territorial changes which might be disadvantageous to the one or the other of the Powers signatory of the present Treaty. To this end they will give reciprocally all information calculated to enlighten each other concerning their own intentions and those of other Powers. Should, however, the case arise that, in the course of events, the maintenance of the status quo in the territory of the Balkans or of the Ottoman coasts and islands in the Adriatic or the Aegean Seas becomes impossible, and that, either in consequence of the action of a third Power or for any other reason, Austria-Hungary or Italy should be obliged to change the status quo on their part by a temporary or permanent occupation, such occupation would only take place after previous agreement between the two Powers, which would have to be based upon the principle of a reciprocal compensation for all territorial or other advantages that either of them might acquire over and above the existing status quo, and would have to satisfy the interests and rightful claims of both parties.

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