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In the 19th century, Britain and France had often been rivals, especially over their colonies; indeed, in the 1890s, tensions had risen sharply over Africa, with the two powers almost going to war during the Fashoda Crisis in 1898, when their armies clashed in Sudan. However, in the early 20th century, both countries began to reconsider their hostility. Germany’s growing power – particularly its aggressive foreign policy, large army, and expanding navy – began to seem like a greater threat to both. France, still resentful of its defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71), also feared the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. These pressures encouraged France and Britain to settle their differences. In 1904, they signed the Entente Cordiale – an agreement to end colonial disputes and begin friendly cooperation. The Entente Cordiale developed because it suited both powers. Britain, which had previously relied on 'splendid isolation', now feared Germany’s ambitions. It wanted strong partners to protect its global empire and trade routes. France, though already linked to Russia through the 1894 alliance, saw the benefit of improving ties with Britain to strengthen its position further against Germany. The agreement brought mutual advantages: Britain recognised France’s control of Morocco, while France accepted British rule in Egypt. This removed colonial tensions and allowed both to focus more seriously on their shared security in Europe. Despite its context, the Entente Cordiale was not a formal military alliance. It was an agreement to cooperate, not to fight together. Its main importance was diplomatic: it ended long-standing hostility between the two countries and created an atmosphere of trust. This trust made military talks and joint planning possible later on. It was also public – both countries wanted the world to see that relations had improved. Then, in 1907, the Entente Cordiale became the Triple Entente. The process began with existing links: France had already formed a military alliance with Russia in 1894. In 1907, Japan – which had made a naval treaty with Britain in 1902 – sought a loan in Paris. France took this chance to negotiate a Franco-Russo-Japanese agreement, which included a guarantee of French colonies in Indochina. That same year, Britain and Russia signed the Anglo-Russian Convention, settling their colonial rivalries in Central Asia. These new agreements meant that Britain, France and Russia were now all linked diplomatically – together they formed the Triple Entente. The Triple Entente was formed because all three countries stood to benefit. France was now no longer isolated – it had allies to the east and west of Germany, effectively surrounding it. Russia, still recovering from its defeat by Japan in 1905, now had strong allies supporting it in Europe and the Balkans. Britain remained concerned about Germany’s naval build-up and saw the benefit of close ties with both continental powers. All three wanted to balance the growing power of the Triple Alliance. However, the Triple Entente was quite different from the Triple Alliance. It was a looser understanding – it did not include firm promises to go to war. Britain especially avoided making binding military commitments unless its own interests were directly threatened. Still, the Entente grew stronger over time. By 1912, Britain and France were holding naval talks and drawing up plans for what to do if war with Germany broke out. The Entente had serious consequences. It greatly increased tension in Europe. Germany now felt encircled by powerful enemies on both sides – France to the west and Russia to the east – and feared being attacked from two directions. The division of Europe into two armed groups – the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente – made war more likely, as both sides became suspicious and made military preparations – France and Britain arranged joint naval plans; Russia began modernising its army. When Germany tested the Entente in the First Moroccan Crisis (1905–6), by challenging France’s position in Morocco, Britain and France stood firm together ... which increased Germany’s feeling of isolation and resentment. It is arguable that the Entente encouraged Russia to feel strong enough to supprot Serbia in 1914 ... directly leading to the First World War. The Entente brought friendship, but it also brought risk: if one country was dragged into a conflict, the others might follow. This is exactly what happened in 1914.
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