Germany could see an Anglo-French war as an opportunity to weaken both France and Russia. Austria-Hungary has its own rivalry with Russia, while Italy has reasons to welcome French difficulties despite tensions within the Triple Alliance. The alliance is explicitly described as defensive, so participation is imagined as an opportunistic political choice. If its members join Britain and Japan, the coalition becomes overwhelmingly unfavourable to France and Russia. Britain then risks losing the French counterweight it wants against Germany.
Chapter · 1:08:21-1:10:25
How the Triple Alliance could turn the war against France and Russia
A prolonged war offers Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy opportunities to weaken rivals, while threatening Britain's preferred European balance.