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The Franco-Russian Alliance and Russian Railways, 1891–1914

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

D. N. Collins
D. N. Collins
Affiliation:
University of Leeds
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Extract

Though both Russia and France appreciated the value of an alliance between the two countries, their predominant motives for concluding the Alliance were quite dissimilar. France seems to have been motivated mainly by fear of Germany. Her need for a strong military and political counterweight to Germany led her naturally to contemplate allying herself with Russia. Russia was primarily interested in obtaining investment capital to finance industrial development. Owing to a change of German policy in the late 1880s she was obliged to seek financial aid outside Berlin, hitherto her chief source of funds. France was apparently willing to lend Russia money in exchange for military and political support, which the Russians were not averse to providing. Hence the Alliance of 1891 was intended to be of benefit to both parties.

Type
Articles
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 16 , Issue 4 , December 1973 , pp. 777 - 788
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1973

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References

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