into the Triple Alliance with the inclusion of Italy. As a counter-move to Germany, France started negotiations with Russia which ended in a secret military pact signed in . Accordingly, it was decided that each should come to the aid of the other in case of an attack by Germany, or Austria or Italy supported by Germany. In the meantime, Britain abandoned its isolation and struck an alliance with Japan.
Since France was Russia’s ally, Japan preferred to ally with Britain ( ). The Anglo–Japanese Alliance prompted France to seek an alliance with Britain to resolve disputes over Morocco and Egypt. This resulted in the Entente Cordiale ( ). In return for letting the French have a free hand in Morocco, France agreed to recognize the British occupation of Egypt.
Britain subsequently reached an agreement with Russia in for the division of Persia into spheres of influence. Thus was formed the Triple Entente of Britain, France and Russia Thus, by , the great powers of Europe had come to be arrayed in two opposing camps: the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy) and the Triple Entente (Britain, France and Russia). (ii) International Crises between and Morocco Relying on their understanding with England (Entente Cordiale, ) the French decided to go ahead with their plan in Morocco. Early in , a French mission arrived at Fez, a city in Morocco, treating it as a part of French Imperialism and its Onslaught protectorate.
Germany protested. French agreed to refer the dispute to a European conference. Nothing came of this conference held at Algiers. Yet it was clear that Britain had ranged itself on the side of France against Germany.
Agadir, Within a year, the French were again active in Morocco. This time the Germans sent their gunboat Panther to Agadir, a sea port on the Moroccan coast claiming German interests there. The Germans took notice of British threats and decided not to precipitate the matter further. However, France had to make considerable concessions to Germany in West Africa to