1. “The first world war broke out because of Germany’s acquisition of overseas colonies and the development of a large navy.”
Using your knowledge from last lesson and this lesson, you are going to investigate the accuracy of this statement, and come to your own judgement about how accurate you think it is.

2. Was building up an armed forces a way of preventing war?
Learning Objectives: To identify causes and consequences of the arms and naval races. To analyse whether Germany’s development of a large navy was one of the main causes of the First World War.

3. Militarism
Land
Sea
Army
Navy

4. Why did Britain need a strong navy?
Militarism
Why did Britain need a strong navy?

5. Why did Britain need a strong navy?
Militarism
Britain was an island – it needed a navy to protect its coastline
To protect her vast overseas Empire
Britain relied on trade with other nations – it needed the navy to protect its trade ships

6. Why did Germany expand her navy?
Wilhelm II was jealous of Britain’s power and Empire – he wanted Germany to become just as powerful
He claimed that since Germany had an Empire, she needed a large navy to protect it
What would you do if you were in Britain’s position?
Let Germany continue to build ships?
Ask them to stop?
Increase the size of your own navy?
Vote!!

7. This became known as the…
Britain’s response
C. Increase the size of your own navy
This became known as the…
Naval Race

8. Arms Race
Like the Naval Race the countries of main land Europe began to build up their armies.
This was known as the...
Arms Race

9. Using the information sheets make notes on the Arms Race
Building up armed forces was actually seen as a way of preventing war
Using the information sheets make notes on the Arms Race

10. How did the naval and arms races cause the First World War?
Success Criteria:
Give a reason
Use evidence from your own knowledge
Explain why this could lead to war
This question should be differentiated for ability.
Finished? Which was most important in starting the war, the naval race or the arms race?

11. Evidence that this statement is accurate
Evidence that this statement is not accurate
“The first world war broke out because of Germany’s acquisition of overseas colonies and the development of a large navy.”
Gradient of accuracy.

12. Naval Race
In response to Germany building up its navy Britain decided to increase the size of her navy
Naval chiefs decided that the navy had to be equal to the size of the two strongest navies in the rest of Europe put together – ‘the two power standard’
France and Russia
The idea was that Britain would have a navy big enough that no other navy would dare attack it
New naval ports were built in Scotland to protect the North Sea
Germany was able to develop their
own Dreadnought style ship
By 1914 Britain had 29 Dreadnought class ships, Germany had 17. They carried 15 inch guns and their oil fired turbine engines could reach a top speed of 25 knots.
Effects of the Naval Race
Britain felt threatened by Germany
Relations between the two countries got worse
Britain began to look for allies – signed the Entente Cordiale with France in 1904 AND a secret naval agreement in 1911
British ships would patrol the North Sea and French ships the Mediterranean if war broke out
From an interview given by Kaiser Wilhelm II to the Daily Telegraph, 28th October 1908.
‘but you will say, what of the Germany navy Surely, this a menace to England!...My answer is clear. Germany is a young and growing empire. She has worldwide trade which is rapidly expanding. Germany must have a powerful fleet to protect that trade and her many other interests in even the most distant seas. She expect those interests to go on growing, and she must be able to champion them manfully in any quarter of the globe. Her horizons stretch far away’.
The naval race picked up a bit of pace in 1906 when a new battleship called the Dreadnought was launched.
This was the most powerful battleship ever built and made all others redundant
It has inch guns and was powered by steam turbines giving it a top peed of 21 knots making it the fastest battleship in the world at the time.
Its armour plating was 30cm thick.

13. Arms Race
Many mainland countries believed that security relied on the strength of their army.
This happened from between the main European powers. Guns, shells, bullets and other weapons were built up in case of war. Ever-more destructive weapons were being developed and improved such as machine guns and huge field guns.
Every major power in Europe except Britain had trained an army of conscripts- young men forced by law to become soldiers for a year. These armies could be called up any time.
Generals and admirals claimed that a large modern army and navy was the only way to keep the peace- why?
As each country increased its army and weapons, they became more confident in success if war was to happen and some wanted to test out this strength.
This increased tension between rival countries, each felt threatened by the other so started to increase their navy.
The threat of war was seen as such a strong possibility that as well as arming countries began to make plans for war.
Germany created the Schlieffen Plan to combat the possibility of war on two fronts.
Russia’s army was not as well trained but it hoped that its sheer weight of numbers will overwhelm Germany and Austria-Hungary
France planned to attack quickly with a large and well equipped army deep into Germany with British support
From the diary of Admiral von Muller, head of the Kaiser’s naval Cabinet, December 1912.
‘General von Molke said: I believe war is unavoidable; war the sooner the better. But we ought to do more through the press to prepare the population for a war against Russia… the enemies are arming more strongly than we are.’
Size of armed forces in millions