1. HIST2128 Germany, 1871-1933: From Empire to Republic ‘Weltpolitik’ and the spectre of encirclement Lecture 11 28 February 2012

2. Foreign Politics, ca. 1900-1914 Weltpolitik (world policy) : To secure new colonial territories + spheres of influence worldwide → Attempt to create formal & informal empires Flottenpolitik (naval policy) : To extensively enlarge German navy → Attempt to create 2nd largest battle fleet to rival GB

3. Mass support organisations Pan-German League (Alldeutscher Verband) → Promotes aggressive nationalism to include ‘membra disiecta’ + Germans abroad + colonies German Naval League (Deutscher Flottenverein) → Promotes aggressive naval armament to rival GB’s sea-power + force GB to ally with G

4. Kiaochow, 1898-1914 (1) Leasehold from China (Apr 1898) Naval port to supply German fleet ‘Model colony’ to demonstrate G’s industrial achievement Governed by Tirpitz’ Naval Office to demonstrate navy’s abilities & skills Set up as ‘German Hong Kong’ to rival GB Strong impact on hinterland (Shandong province): Coalmines, railway

5. Kiaochow, 1898-1914 (2) Huge financial burden for German government Developed into important trade hub & major port in NE China for Chinese products Strong presence of firms from G, CH, J Attempts to emphasise cultural tasks, e.g. German- Chinese College (Deutsch-Chinesische Hochschule)

6. The German Colonies, 1913-14 Area in 1,000 square kilometres Population in 1,000: Natives Population in 1,000: Whites In Africa: Togo 881,0310,4 Cameroon5043,3261,8 German South-West Africa 8308015 German East Africa1,0207,6455 In Asia and Pacific: Palau, Caroline / Marianne / Marshall Islands, Samoa 13,2150,5 German New Guinea and Bismarck Archipelago 2307190,9 Kiautschow (Qingdao) 0,561924,4

7. Franco-Russian Dual Alliance, 1894 Consequence of: Non-renewal of Re-Insurance Treaty (1887) between G + R ► Development of R’s industry & rail system with help of French capital ► Start of R’s Far Eastern politics = ‘Encirclement’ (Einkreisung) or ‘Self-Exclusion’ (Auskreisung) of Germany with only A + Ottoman Empire left as major allies

8. ‘Policy of Free Hand’ Attempt to maintain ‘free hand’ as between R + GB: Reflected division between pro-GB & pro-R groups Miscalculated & exaggerated degree of alienation between GB + R and between GB + F Swung backwards & forwards between R + GB Alternated between endearments and threats Antagonised both R + GB

9. Daily Telegraph Affaire (1) Private conversations of Kaiser & Colonel Wortley summed up in one single text Sent by Daily Telegraph to Chancellor Bülow who later claimed not to have read it Text signed by minor official + sent to London for publication Published in Daily Telegraph (28 Oct 1908)

10. Daily Telegraph Affaire (2) Irritating statements of Kaiser: He … Claimed to belong to small group of GB friends in G → fresh GB fears about G’s rearmament Presented himself as independent actor in G’s foreign politics → slap in face of German diplomacy Called himself inventor of GB’s battle plan for Boer Wars → strong overestimation Claimed that Tirpitz Plan was not directed vs. GB but vs. Far East → provocation of Japan

11. Daily Telegraph Affaire (3) Showed Kaiser’s arrogance & tactlessness Provoked storm of anger in G. and abroad Made Chancellor Bülow to distance himself from Kaiser & to remain silent on own responsibility Led to irreparable break between Kaiser and Bülow → Important factor for his dismissal (Jun 1909) Demonstrated deficiencies of imperial constitution

12. Collapse of Bismarck’s alliance system Franco-Russian Dual Alliance, 1894 Britain abandons ‘splendid isolation’, 1898 → British-Japanese Alliance, 1902 →‘ Entente Cordiale’ France-Britain, 1904 = Germany ‘encircled by enemies’: Threat by Two-Front-War extremely strong

13. Tirpitz Plan (1) Naval construction program inspired by Admiral Tirpitz, state secretary of Naval Ministry (1897) Favoured by Kaiser Wilhelm II, heavy industrialists, nationalists, middle class Potential instrument for rallying popular support behind monarchy: Navy as ‘palliative’ vs. SPD ‘German Naval League’ (Deutscher Flottenverein) as mass organisation & popular pressure group

14. Tirpitz Plan (2) Naval enthusiasm as general contemporary obsession with sea-power (US admiral Mahan: ‘Mahanism’) Conviction that G needs own fleet to rival GB, R, USA Strategic thrust of battle fleet directed vs. GB Strived to force GB to accept G as equal world power + to come to some kind of agreement or alliance with G Regarded as tool of ‘policy of free hand’

15. Tirpitz Plan (3) = Built on miscalculations on GB’s attitudes & naval strengths = Caused growing suspicion in GB = Inspired unwinnable naval race with GB = Totally damaged relations with GB and made any agreement/alliance impossible ► Return to Continental strategy shortly before 1914 as retreat from failed Tirpitz Plan

16. Conclusion (1) Weltpolitik: Failure → political drawbacks and diplomatic isolation Flottenpolitik: Failure → unwinnable naval race + permanent estrangement with Britain = Feeling of ‘encirclement’ but self-exclusion

17. Conclusion (2) Overestimation of G’s power position following Bismarck’s dismissal → Isolation + rising tensions in Europe Impulsive diplomatic actions of Wilhelm II ruined German diplomacy Severe deficiencies of semi-authoritarian political system + series of weak chancellors = Comprehension of total stalemate in G’s foreign AND domestic policies on side of German civilian + military leadership (1912-14)