who undermined bismarck's international policies by refusing to renew the reinsurance treaty
Reinsurance Treaty When in 1890, Russia asked for a renewal of the treaty, Germany refused. Kaiser Wilhelm II believed his relationship with Tsar Alexander III would be sufficient to ensure further genial diplomatic ties and felt that maintaining a close bond with Russia would act to the detriment of his aims to attract Britain into the German sphere. Like the Austro-Russian antagonism, Anglo-Russian relations too were strained due to Russia gaining influence in the Balkans. The Russian aim of controlling the Straits of the Dardanelles, would threaten British colonial interests in the Middle East. Having become alarmed at its growing isolation, Saint Petersburg, as Bismarck had feared, entered into the Franco-Russian Alliance in 1894, ending French isolation. The dismissal of Bismarck, the erratic temper of Wilhelm II and the uncertain policy of the men who succeeded Bismarck (partly out of consideration for England, they failed to renew the Reinsurance Treaty with Russia but did renew the Triple Alliance), were joint causes of a period of fundamental change.[2]
Inauguration of John F. Kennedy And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for youâ€”ask what you can do for your country.[35]
Wilhelm II, German Emperor Bombastic and impetuous, he sometimes made tactless pronouncements on sensitive topics without consulting his ministers, behaviors culminating in a disastrous Daily Telegraph interview in 1908 that cost him most of his influence.[1] His leading generals, Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff, dictated policy during the First World War with little regard for the civilian government. An ineffective war-time leader, he lost the support of the army, abdicated in November 1918, and fled to exile in the Netherlands.
Charles Dudley Warner Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.[4]