1. German Foreign Policy 1890-1914
After the resignation of Bismarck, foreign policy
became much more aggressive.
Why?
1. Population growth
2. Economic growth
3. Racial superiority
4. Prestige (view of Kaiser Wilhelm II and advisors)
5. Heal domestic divisions
These ideas about expansion were brought together under the title of Weltpolitik
(the government’s “World Policy”)
Two strands of Weltpolitik:
a) Economic Imperialism
B) Lebensraum
Germany’s drive for world power status would lead to a number of crises which
would eventually result in the outbreak of war.

2. Pre-Weltpolitik relations in Europe
Reasonable: some British
jealousy of German economic
power.
Poor: fear of revenge over
Alsace-Lorraine
Overall, relations were acceptable. Each of Germany’s neighbours was hostile to at least one other country.
Poor: economic hostility - fear
of Russian industrialisation. But
Reinsurance Treaty still in place.
Good: Dual Alliance established.
Hapsburg Empire in decline
- reliant upon strong Germany.

3. What went wrong?
During the period , Germany engaged in a number of reckless
activities and diplomatic blunders which according to some historians led
to war.
Relationships with Europe’s main powers started to deteriorate almost as
soon as Kaiser Wilhelm II took power (with the exception of Austria).
Let’s examine these deteriorating relations – highlight events in chronology.

4. Russia 1881 – League of Three Emperors
1887 – Russo-German Reinsurance Treaty
1890 – Reinsurance Treaty not renewed
Led to decline in relations with Russia…
Franco-Russian alliance was signed
Throughout the 1890s and 1900s, economic rivalry between the two
countries became more and more obvious.
Fear among the German government that Russian industrial power would
soon match theirs.
Russia’s defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of left her vulnerable,
emboldening Germany to take further risks.
Germany supported Austria in their annexation of Bosnia in 1908.

5. Britain Before Wilhelm II, Anglo-German relations were
fine - Weltpolitik drastically changed their
relationship.
German plans for colonial expansion overseas
required the construction of a large navy.
This naval build up threatened Britain’s status
as the world’s ‘colonial power’.
Germany’s Navy Laws of 1898 and 1890 upset
Britain and sparked the Naval Race.
Relations worsened by diplomatic blunders:
(a) German interference in Boer War – the Kruger Telegram
(b) Kaiser’s newspaper interview
1904 – Anglo-French Entente
1907 – Anglo-Russian Entente (Triple Entente)
Thereafter, Germany was uncertain whether a continental war would
involve Britain.

6. France Poor relations already existed
After the Reinsurance Treaty ended, France
offered loans and investment to Russia
→1894 Franco-Russian Alliance
Relations deteriorated further with Anglo-French
Entente (1904)
1905 – First Moroccan Crisis - Kaiser shows
support for Moroccan independence in
opposition to the French
1906 – Algeciras Conference
1911 – Second Moroccan Crisis – German gunboat, the Panther, arrives
in Agadir (in response to French occupation)
All 3 occasions were attempts to destabilise Anglo-French relations
– all failed
France and Britain began military consultation

7. Countdown to War relations with Russia, France and Britain. However,
Germany’s diplomatic mistakes had worsened
relations with Russia, France and Britain. However,
they had not yet made war inevitable.
Germany did believe that it was being “encircled”
by potential enemies.
Dec 8th 1912 – ‘War Council’ meeting in Berlin
- discussed possibility of war and agreed to expand
the army
Germany was pessimistic about its situation and
believed war may be necessary
Balkan Crisis, July 1914 – assassination of Austrian
Archduke – an excuse for war?
If Austria declared war on Serbia, Russia would surely get involved – the
German government gave Austria a ‘blank cheque’, promising their support
Now, the alliance systems would prove crucial
Uncertainty over Britain – would an invasion of Belgium bring them into war?

8. Encirclement

9. Historical Interpretations
Aggressive aims (Fischer, 1969) – Germany
deliberately unleashed a war for continental and even
world domination (and to escape domestic problems).
Preventative defence (Koch, 1984) - a diplomatic crisis
was deliberately provoked as a war could solve
Germany’s problem of “encirclement”
– “escape forwards” by defeating Russia before she became stronger.
Traditional view – “collective responsibility” of all nations
- updated by Clark (2012) who suggested no nation intended to cause war.
Revision of Fischer’s thesis (Von Strandmann, 1988) – Germany went to
war, not for world power, but to gain economic domination of Eastern
Europe – they went to war not for defensive, pessimistic reasons, but for
optimistic reasons, believing they could win a short war.

10. Key Events/Issues on the Road to War
Group Wiki Task:
Key Events/Issues on the Road to War
What was the significance of Germany’s refusal to renew the Reinsurance Treaty?
What was the significance of the Kruger Telegram?
What was the significance of German Naval Expansion?
What was the significance of the First Moroccan Crisis?
What was the significance of the Second Moroccan Crisis?
What was the significance of the ‘War Council’ Meeting of 1912?

11. End of Reinsurance Treaty:
Declining Russian-German relations
Russia moved closer to France, forming an alliance in 1893/4
Created a potentially hostile power on Germany’s two borders
Kruger Telegram:
Worsened relations between Germany and Britain
Seen as meddling in British affairs and a threat to British commerce – led to anti-German sentiment in Britain
Naval Expansion:
German naval expansion was seen by Britain as a threat to their status as the world’s foremost naval and colonial power
Also seen as potentially aggressive i.e. military build-up
Moroccan Crises:
Attempts to undermine and humiliate France and threaten their colonial interests in north Africa. 2nd Crisis also seemed aggressive…
Attempts by Germany to destabilise Anglo-French relations
Led to decline in relations between Germany and France (and Britain)
Led to German sense of isolation and encirclement as Britain, France and Russia grew closer together in opposition to Germany (formed Triple Entente)
War Council: Did German government decide war was necessary here? Did it set them on the path to war in 1914?