European nations increasingly formed alliances in the early 1900s was to be stronger against their enemies on the continent and avoid the beginning of the war. This plan did not work because the first World War took place from 1914 to 1918 between the countries of these two great alliances.

The first alliance was called the Triple Alliance and included: Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.
The second alliance was called the Triple Entente and included: France, Russia, and England.

Germany and its Chancellor Otto von Bismarck initiated the Triple Alliance. After conquering Alsace-Lorraine, a province of France during a war in 1870, German was afraid that France was planning revenge to recover their land. That's why they joined forces with two other countries to strengthen their power in Europe. This alliance was fragile because there were tensions between Italy and Austria-Hungary because of a territory problem.

The Triple Entente was initiated by France. They allied themselves with Russia. This agreement was good for both countries, Russia could borrow money from French banks, and France have a powerful military ally. The United Kingdom only joined this alliance a few years later, because they conflicted with France and Russia because of the colonies in Africa and Asia that these three countries wanted to possess.

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