100 years ago: Entente Cordiale

The "Declaration between the United Kingdom and France Respecting Egypt and Morocco [Together with the Secret Articles Signed at the Same Time]", better known as "The Entente Cordiale Between England and France" was signed 100 years ago, on April 8, 1904.


photo: Archives Charmet / The Bridgeman Art Library

Short background:
In 1882 Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy formed the Triple Alliance. The three countries agreed to support each other if attacked by either France or Russia.

France felt threatened by this alliance. Britain was also concerned by the growth in the German Navy and therefore the two countries signed the Entente Cordiale (friendly understanding).

Link to the complete treaty (from Avalon project) HERE


By the Entente Cordiale both powers reduced the virtual isolation into which they had withdrawn - France involuntarily, Great Britain complacently - while they had eyed each other over African affairs:
Great Britain had had no ally but Japan (1902), useless if war should break out in European waters; France had had none but Russia, soon to be discredited in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05. The agreement was consequently upsetting to Germany, whose policy had long been to rely on Franco-British antagonism. A German attempt to check the French in Morocco in 1905 (the Tangier Incident, or First Moroccan Crisis), and thus upset theEntente, served only to strengthen it. Military discussions between the French and the British general staffs were soon initiated. Franco-British solidarity was confirmed at the Algeciras Conference (1906) and reconfirmed in the Second Moroccan Crisis (1911).
[text, slightly edited, adapted from the Britannica]


Can this Entente be called "the pre-start of WWI"?