Our alliances are defensive, not merely in form, but essentially so.

I have already shown that this is a cause of their weakness.

Neither Austria nor Italy are in any way bound to support by armed force a German policy directed towards an increase of power.

We are not even sure of their diplomatic help, as the conduct of Italy at the conference of Algeciras sufficiently demonstrated.

It even seems questionable at the present moment whether we can always reckon on the support of the members of the Triple Alliance in a defensive war.