What events in the 1870s further heightened rivalries in Western Europe?

The 1870s were a period of intense national rivalries and strategic realignments in Western Europe, which laid the groundwork for conflicts that would culminate in the First World War. Several significant events during this decade heightened these rivalries:

1. Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) - Although the war took place at the very beginning of the decade, its aftermath had long-lasting effects. The defeat of France by Prussia led to the unification of Germany under Prussian leadership. The peace treaty, particularly the harsh terms imposed on France, including the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine to Germany, sowed resentment and a desire for revenge in France.

2. The Unification of Germany (1871) - The established German Empire emerged as a new powerful entity in Central Europe. This shifted the balance of power and caused anxiety among existing powers, particularly France and Britain, as well as the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia.

3. The "Dreikaiserbund" or League of the Three Emperors (1873) - This was an alliance between Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary aimed at preserving the status quo in Europe. However, it was an unstable arrangement given the conflicting interests of its members, especially in the Balkans.

4. The Great Eastern Crisis (1875-1878) - This crisis emerged from rebellions in the Ottoman Empire's territories in the Balkans, which led to the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878). The resulting Treaty of Berlin, brokered by Otto von Bismarck, redrew the map of the Balkans, but it created dissatisfaction among the Balkan states as well as in Russia, which felt it had not gained enough from its victory over the Ottomans.

5. Economic Competition - The 1870s also witnessed increased economic competition, particularly in colonial territories. The onset of the Long Depression (1873-1896) after the financial crashes of 1873 put further strain on European economies, which in turn fostered imperialist competition overseas as nations sought new markets and resources.

6. Colonial Rivalries - Towards the end of the 1870s, colonial rivalries began to take shape more clearly, particularly in Africa. This rush for colonies would later be termed the "Scramble for Africa," which started in earnest in the 1880s but had its origins in earlier explorations and conflicts.