Final answer:
E.H. Carr characterizes Bismarck's alliance system as a strategic approach to maintaining German power and isolating France, while also laying a complicated foundation that would eventually contribute to the tensions leading to World War I.
Step-by-step explanation:
Historian E.H. Carr describes Otto von Bismarck's alliance system as a strategic diplomatic effort to maintain German dominance and check the power of potential rivals. Bismarck, as the prime minister of Prussia and later the German chancellor, was a proponent of Realpolitik and aimed to reinforce Germany's position by isolating France and cautiously aligning with other European powers such as Austria-Hungary and Italy through alliances like the Triple Alliance. Ultimately, Bismarck's sophisticated system of treaties and alliances was part of his broader strategy to unify Germany and establish it as a major European power, which involved keeping France diplomatically isolated and leveraging Prussia's military strength. Yet, these alliances also contributed to international tensions that laid the groundwork for World War I.