<P> Russia had previously been a member of the League of the Three Emperors , an alliance in 1873 with Austria - Hungary and Germany . The alliance was part of German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck ′ s plan to isolate France diplomatically ; he feared that France 's revanchist aspirations might make it to regain its losses in 1871 after the Franco - Prussian War . The alliance also served to fight against progressive sentiments , which the conservative rulers found unsettling , such as the First International . </P>
<P> Russia had previously been a member of the League of the Three Emperors , an alliance in 1873 with Austria - Hungary and Germany . The alliance was part of German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck ′ s plan to isolate France diplomatically ; he feared that France 's revanchist aspirations might make it to regain its losses in 1871 after the Franco - Prussian War . The alliance also served to fight against progressive sentiments , which the conservative rulers found unsettling , such as the First International . </P>
germany joined the triple alliance to protect itself against whom
germany joined the triple alliance to protect itself against whom
France
France