The First World War (Revision)
The First World War (Revision)
The rise of Germany upset the balance of power in Europe
The Old Balance of Power - a balance of power was established between Russia, Austria, Prussia and France, with Britain holding the scales.
The rise of a unified Germany upset this balance. Germany was unified not only by ‘blood and iron’ but also by ‘coal and iron’.
Rapid industrialization, concentrated military power, a young and dramatically increasing population (43% increase between 1880 and 1910) had raised it into a position of potential domination over Europe. With an expanding economy and overseas colonization, she now started to demand recognition as a world power.
Yet Bismarck was wise and cautious enough not to alarm the other powers. He knew exactly what he wanted and how to get it. He put forward the idea of a balance of political power between the Republican West and the Autocratic East. He pledged to maintain peace in Europe and made alliances to keep his friends and to make his enemies friendless. He supported the Republicans in France, as it was the least revanchist. As long as France remained a Republic, the autocratic Russia and Austria-Hungary would not be allied with it and agree to maintain a certain relation amongst the three autocratic powers.
Things changed after William II took over the power. The term Weltpolitik (World Policy) was first used by William II in 1896 as a description for the German version of an imperialism which was shared by the other Powers. It was summed up in his statement that ‘nothing must henceforth be settled in the world without the intervention of Germany and the German Emperor’.
This concept of expansion found expression in the intervention in the Moroccan Crises, the construction of the Baghdad railway, the launching of a large navy and the quest for colonies both in Africa and Asia. Through their naval and colonial ambitions they were seen to menace British and French imperial interests. By assuming the
The rise of Germany upset the balance of power in Europe
The Old Balance of Power - a balance of power was established between Russia, Austria, Prussia and France, with Britain holding the scales.
The rise of a unified Germany upset this balance. Germany was unified not only by ‘blood and iron’ but also by ‘coal and iron’.
Rapid industrialization, concentrated military power, a young and dramatically increasing population (43% increase between 1880 and 1910) had raised it into a position of potential domination over Europe. With an expanding economy and overseas colonization, she now started to demand recognition as a world power.
Yet Bismarck was wise and cautious enough not to alarm the other powers. He knew exactly what he wanted and how to get it. He put forward the idea of a balance of political power between the Republican West and the Autocratic East. He pledged to maintain peace in Europe and made alliances to keep his friends and to make his enemies friendless. He supported the Republicans in France, as it was the least revanchist. As long as France remained a Republic, the autocratic Russia and Austria-Hungary would not be allied with it and agree to maintain a certain relation amongst the three autocratic powers.
Things changed after William II took over the power. The term Weltpolitik (World Policy) was first used by William II in 1896 as a description for the German version of an imperialism which was shared by the other Powers. It was summed up in his statement that ‘nothing must henceforth be settled in the world without the intervention of Germany and the German Emperor’.
This concept of expansion found expression in the intervention in the Moroccan Crises, the construction of the Baghdad railway, the launching of a large navy and the quest for colonies both in Africa and Asia. Through their naval and colonial ambitions they were seen to menace British and French imperial interests. By assuming the