Editing History of Germany (section)

====Foreign policies and relations====
[[Image:Triple Alliance.png|thumb|The [[Triple Alliance (1882)|Triple Alliance]] of Germany, Austria and Italy in 1913]]
Chancellor Bismarck's imperial foreign policy basically aimed at security and the prevention of a Franco-Russian alliance, in order to avoid a likely [[Two-front war]]. The [[League of Three Emperors]] was signed in 1873 by Russia, Austria, and Germany. It stated that [[republicanism]] and [[socialism]] were common enemies and that the three powers would discuss any matters concerning foreign policy. Bismarck needed good relations with Russia in order to keep France isolated. Russia fought a victorious [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|war against the Ottoman Empire]] from 1877 to 1878 and attempted to [[Treaty of San Stefano|establish]] the [[Principality of Bulgaria]], that was strongly opposed by France and Britain in particular, as they were long concerned with the preservation of the [[Ottoman Empire]] and Russian containment at the [[Bosphorus Strait]] and the Black Sea. Germany hosted the [[Congress of Berlin]] in 1878, where a more moderate peace settlement was agreed upon.

In 1879, Germany formed the [[Dual Alliance (1879)|Dual Alliance]] with Austria-Hungary, an agreement of mutual military assistance in the case of an attack from Russia, which was not satisfied with the agreement of the Congress of Berlin. The establishment of the Dual Alliance led Russia to take a more conciliatory stance and in 1887, the so-called [[Reinsurance Treaty]] was signed between Germany and Russia. In it, the two powers agreed on mutual military support in the case that France attacked Germany or an Austrian attack on Russia. Russia turned its attention eastward to Asia and remained largely inactive in European politics for the next 25 years. In 1882, Italy, seeking supporters for its interests in [[North Africa]] against France's colonial policy, joined the Dual Alliance, which became the [[Triple Alliance (1882)|Triple Alliance]]. In return for German and Austrian support, Italy committed itself to assisting Germany in the case of a French attack.<ref>{{Citation |last=Weitsman |first=Patricia A. |title=Dangerous alliances: proponents of peace, weapons of war |page=79 |date=2004}}</ref>

Bismarck had always argued that the acquisition of overseas colonies was impractical and the burden of administration and maintenance would outweigh the benefits. Eventually, Bismarck gave way, and a number of colonies were established in Africa ([[Togo]], the [[Kamerun|Cameroons]], [[German South-West Africa]], and [[German East Africa]]) and in [[Oceania]] ([[German New Guinea]], the [[Bismarck Archipelago]], and the [[Marshall Islands]]). Consequently, Bismarck initiated the [[Berlin Conference]] of 1885, a formal meeting of the European colonial powers, who sought to "established international guidelines for the acquisition of African territory" (see [[Colonisation of Africa]]). Its outcome, the ''General Act of the Berlin Conference'', can be seen as the formalisation of the "Scramble for Africa" and "[[New Imperialism]]".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Belgum |first=Kirsten |title=Popularizing the Nation: Audience, Representation, and the Production of Identity in "Die Gartenlaube", 1853–1900 |date=1998 |page=149}}</ref>