The Russian Government therefore pledged itself to neutrality, but in a sense favourable to Prussia.

The Czar ascribed the Crimean War to the ambition of Napoleon III., and remembered the friendship of Prussia at that time, as also in the Polish Revolt of 1863[11].

Bismarck's policy now brought its reward.
[11] See Sir H.Rumbold's _Recollections of a Diplomatist_ (First Series), vol.ii.p.

292, for the Czar's hostility to France in 1870.
The neutrality of Russia is always a matter of the utmost moment for the Central Powers in any war on their western frontiers.

Their efforts against Revolutionary France in 1792-94 failed chiefly because of the ambiguous attitude of the Czarina Catherine II.; and the collapse of Frederick William IV.'s policy in 1848-51 was due to the hostility of his eastern neighbour.