Download Sorensen Catherine Sorensen Dr. James Gump War and Peace

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Catherine Sorensen
Dr. James Gump
War and Peace Studies
“Germany bears the principal responsibility for the outbreak of WWI”
Germany, after its unification in 1871, was “a young nation of enormous
energy and capacity”. Under the leadership of the Prussian Prime Minister, Otto von
Bismarck, the nation had defeated Denmark, Austria and France in three successive
wars between 1864 and 1870. Henceforth, Bismarck became a staunch
conservative and pacifist. He focused his attentions on the preservation of peace
within the new German empire. This all changed, however, when Wilhelm II
ascended to power in 1888. Under the impression that Germany did not need to
retain of policy of preservation for the status quo, Wilhelm II adopted a more
aggressive strategy focused on the expansion of the German empire. The foundation
for World War I can be linked to this time period, when Germany began to gain
momentum in its quest to become a great world power. Even through Bismarck’s
reign of power, policies were adopted that planted the seeds for a future outbreak
involving the world powers. Moreover, through 1914, Germany’s determination to
become a great world power propelled them to adopt an aggressive policy that
would throw the balance of power in their favor. This, however, made Germany a
threat to the other World Powers including Britain, France, and Russia. All in all,
Germany’s actions propelled a global war that included more nations than any
previous war in world history. Their influences over the alliance system, the
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tensions they fueled, and the threat to the balance of power that their actions
presented ultimately resulted in World War I. Germany thus, bears the main
responsibility for the war that changed the world.
After Bismarck’s celebrated success in uniting the German empire, he
adopted a policy system quite different to that of his previous agenda. In his effort to
maintain a strong and unified Germany, his primary interest was to maintain the
peace. Germany’s land-locked geographic position made him vulnerable to
surrounding nations. Bismarck said “we must do our best to prevent war or limit it”
and in his effort to do so, he initiated a system of alliances that would preserve
friendly relations with neighboring world powers. Little did he know, however, that
these alliances would become the basis for the massive involvement of nations in
World War I. Between 1872-1873, Bismarck was successful in establishing peaceful
relations with Austria-Hungary and Russia, and in 1879 they joined to create the
Dual alliance. After Wilhelm II took power in 1888, he dismissed Bismarck and
adopted the policy of “Weltpolitik” where he would strive to make Germany a major
world power. Henceforth, he decided that friendly relations with Russia were
unnecessary and thus, he did not renew the Reinsurance Treaty of 1887 (where
Russia and Germany had agreed to avoid fighting one another). Since Wilhelm II
wanted to expand his empire, he was aware that it would be denied any Russian
territory through its obligations in the Reinsurance Treaty. This action not only
created tensions between Russia and Germany (which would be prominent
throughout the next 30 years) but it also pushed Russia into a possible alliance with
France. At the time, Germany was growing as a major economic and military power.
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Beginning in 1870, Germany’s production of steel, coal and iron was rivaling that of
Russia and Britain. Moreover, Germany’s rapid defeat of France - which was
considered among the greatest of world powers- in 1871 startled all of Europe and
triggered a red light of caution. Through Russia’s eyes, Germany was considered a
potential threat to the security of France and, in effect to Russia as well. If Germany
could take control of France, they would be in a more able position to move eastthus threatening Russian power and trade. In a nutshell, Wilhelm’s decision to
alienate Russia propelled her to form an alliance with France in 1891. Germany also
instigated the involvement of Britain in the alliance system. Although, it was
hesitant to officially join any alliance until the outbreak of war in 1914, Britain was
thoroughly aware of the potential threat that Germany posed years in advance. By
the early twentieth century, Britain knew that France could not defeat Germany
should they engage in war. Like Russia, Britain saw France (and Russia) as a vital
counterbalance to German power. This is evident through Britain’s response to the
Moroccan Crisis in 1905. At the time, France took the opportunity of a Moroccan
insurrection to establish dominance in the territory. Germany, however, declared its
support to the Moroccan sultan to preserve its independence. Although Germany
had no previous interests in the Moroccan territory (they had repetitively declined
opportunities to take control in the area), they offered protection to the sultan as a
method to establish dominance over France. Germany’s diplomatic victory over
France (they had forced France to concede to their conditions) persuaded Britain
that they had to protect France. Even the German ambassador in London consented,
in 1905, that “the Morocco question has brought us a step nearer to war with
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England”. Britain’s antagonism with Germany would serve as their basis to get
involved in World War I in 1914 as an effort to maintain the balance of power.
Overall, Germany initiated the alliance system through Bismarck’s efforts to
establish a responsible German empire and to deprive France of a continental ally.
Germany created the Austro-German alliance in 1879 and in 1882 Italy was
included, and thus the Triple Alliance was formed. Wilhelm’s “new course” policy of
overseas expansion, and the tensions that Germany instigated to achieve its goals,
promoted the alliance of France, Russia, and Britain (known as the Triple Entente).
Thus, Germany was the underlying reason for the creation and the evolution of the
alliance system that established the massive involvement of world powers in World
War I.
The national ambitions that defined Germany after 1888 were the result of
the ruthless leadership and ambitions of Wilhelm II. When Wilhelm took power, he
was anxious to divert internal social unrest by focusing on expansionist policies.
Moreover, he was anxious to break encirclement and make Germany’s “place in the
sun”. In his effort to make Germany a major world power, Wilhelm adopted very
aggressive strategic actions that created profound tensions between the other world
powers. In fact, there were multiple times that Germany encouraged tensions
between two or more world powers to break up alliances. For instance, when the
British occupied Egypt in 1882 (much to the disapproval of the French), Germany
took the chance to encourage French expansionist interests in Morocco, Nigeria, and
Indo-China. This, in effect, led to bad relations between France and Britain and even
more so after the Fashoda crisis of 1898. Germany’s actions, thus, instigated
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unnecessary tensions between France and Britain that weakened France and
strengthened Britain- but it also unintentionally strengthened France’s ties with
Russia. Other actions, like the Kruger letter that the German Kaiser sent
congratulating the South African Boer republic for “defeating the armed forces (the
British) which, as disturbers of the peace, invaded your country…” infuriated the
British government and fueled anti-German sentiment. Moreover, Germany initiated
a new naval policy that funded the growth of production of war ships. Germany
created naval bills in 1898, 1900 and 1906 (the third navy law was created in June
5, 1906), which demanded for an increased production of bigger and more powerful
naval ships. These German legislations sparked a naval race against Britain. The
British responded in 1905 by building an abundance of new ships and creating
military strategies that would prepare them for the German threat. The German
naval policies regarded England as the most dangerous enemy; in fact they
considered it as “the enemy against which we (Germany) most urgently require a
certain measure of naval force as a political power factor”. Thus, the naval battle, as
initiated by Germany, heightened tensions between Germany and Britain to an
unprecedented level. The German’s also unintentionally instigated France’s military
expansion. After France was defeated by Germany in 1871, the anti-German
sentiment was so intense that France built an immense navy and supported the
creation of a large army. In fact, through the 1880’s France was spending the highest
amounts on her navy among the great world powers. All in all, Germany’s efforts to
break up alliances and encourage tensions resulted in intense anti-German
sentiment in countries such as France and Britain. Their actions also promoted
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other countries to adopt efforts that would ultimately prepare them for war. Under
Wilhelm’s new strategy, Germany became a massive threat to other world powers
and encouraged these world powers to build stronger armies, bigger navies, and
significant strategic military plans. Since Germany instigated these actions, they
essentially prepared other world powers for war. In effect, World War I was made
possible (and more violent) due to the military preparations that Germany’s threat
promoted.
Germany’s military and economic growth, combined with expansion
endeavors, made it a world threat to the balance of power. After Germany defeated
France in 1871, Russia feared that Germany would adopt military endeavors to gain
control in Russia. Intense economic, industrial and military rivalry with Britain
convinced the British that they could not forfeit their dominance as a world power
to Germany. Overall, actions carried out by other world powers were fueled by the
justification that growing German power had to be subdued. The Dual Alliance
between France (a republic) and Russia (a tsarist autocracy) in 1891 was extremely
unexpected, however, they set aside their differences with the ambitions to
counterbalance Germany’s growing power. Thus, their joint involvement in World
War I was fueled by Germany. Moreover, Britain got involved in World War I to keep
Germany “in check” as well. Britain’s foreign secretary Sir Edward Grey declared
that “Germany was so immensely strong and Austria so dependent upon German
strength that the word and will of Germany would at the critical moment be decisive
with Austria. It was therefore to Germany that we (Britain) must address ourselves”.
Thus, Britain did not get involved in World War I on account of Serbia, the Balkans,
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or Russia. Rather, Britain joined with the intention to prevent “the domination of
Germany” and to deprive them the opportunity “to wield the whole power of the
Continent”. Moreover, Germany’s ethnocentrism provided them with the reasoning
to conquer other territories. For the most part, Germans such as general Bernhardi
argued that “war will furnish such a nation with favorable vital conditions, enlarged
possibilities of expansion and widened influence, and thus promote the progress of
mankind”. It is with this state of mind that Germany began planning for war even
before the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Additionally, Germany’s fear of
“encirclement” and the growing power of their opponents, the allies, convinced
them that war would soon be necessary. By the early twentieth century, it was
anticipated that Russia’s army would be reformed by 1916-1917. Thus, Germany
was, by 1912, looking for an excuse to go to war. The Germans were aware that a
confrontation between Austria-Hungary and the Serbs would soon arise. More so,
they knew that Russia would offer their protection to the Slavs. Thus, by 1912,
Germany was preparing offers of alliance to Bulgaria, Rumania, Albania and Turkey
to fight against France and Russia (these offers of alliance are proof of Germany’s
pro-active steps in the direction of war). General von Moltke himself said “I believe
that war is unavoidable and the sooner the better”. All Germany needed was an
event that would amass public support, and that opportunity presented itself
through the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Serbia. Henceforth,
Germany urged Austria-Hungary to make war on Serbia. They presented AustriaHungary with a ‘blank cheque’ on July 5, 1914 that convinced Austria to rely on
Germany’s full support. The Austrian ambassador in Berlin stated that Emperor
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Wilhelm II “would regret if we did not make use of the present moment, which is all
in our favor”. Thus, Germany served as the driving force that propelled AustriaHungary to declare war on Serbia, which in effect, led to World War I. If it had not
been for Germany’s urging and support, it is doubtful that Austria-Hungary would
have risked going to war with Serbia, Russia, and France alone. In summation,
Germany wanted to take the opportunity that the Serbian conflict presented to grow
in power and tear the entente apart. Germany’s actions in the July crisis initiated
the onset of World War I.
After its unification in 1871, Germany became a heavy weight in regards to
the balance of power in Europe, and it seemed that it would continue to spread it
dominance until it was forced into submission. From Bismarck’s initiation of the
alliance system, to Wilhelm’s aggressive expansionist policies, Germany continually
gave other world powers a reason to fight. The tensions Germany instigated, and its
insistence to become the dominant world power consequently led to World War I.
Alliances between France, Germany and Russia were created to control the growth
of Germany. They also adopted military and economic strategies that would
ultimately prepare the countries for war against Germany. Thus, Germany does
indeed bear the principal responsibility for World War I. They promoted the war,
prepared their opponents (the Allies) for war, and established the necessity for war.
Thus, although Austria-Hungary initiated the war (by declaring war on Serbia) the
peace treaties demanded that Germany accept sole responsibility for causing World
War I, and it did.
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