Essay 3.

• Essay Question - Examine the influence of German foreign policy on the major European powers between 1890 and 1908
• • Period from 1890-1908 = time of escalating tensions in Europe as new alliances were formed and old ones left behind
• • Issues such as Anglo-German naval race and disputes over Morocco deteriorated relationships between the central powers and the allies (to what extent was this due to German foreign policy?)
• • 1890 as portrayed in famous punch magazine cartoon titled dropping the pilot, otto von bismarck (german chancellor) was dismissed 
• • Pivotal as this decision led to a shift in European balance of power
• • Through the DreiKaiserbund 1881 and Reinsurance treaty with Russia 1887, Bismarck had ensured that a Franco-Russian alliance was impossible
• • 1890 Leon Von Caprivi undid all this as the reinsurance treaty lapsed, opening a door for a franco-russian alliance, clearly demonstrating how the changing german foreign policy had created the potential for conflict in Europe
• • Caprivi further escalated tensions between Germany, Fr/Ru through the bill of that same year, increasing German peacetime army by 18,759 men
• • Germany had instilled fear in its neighbouring countries as would be demonstrated by the 1894 franco-russian alliance which surrounded germany and her allies
• • Kaiser Wilhelm II soured relations with Fr/Br was through the moroccan crisis 1905-6
  • Kaiser had the goal of testing the entente cordiale which backfired as the Fr/Br subsequently started military talks
• Kaiser had simply increased the possibility of conflict with the allies
• • Anglo-german naval race is another example how german foreign policy increased tensions between Br/Ge
• • In context of british royal navy being known as the most formidable navy in europe, admiral tirpitz’s naval policy 1898 aiming to achieve a 2:3 ratio between german and british ships posed a threat to the BR
• • British policy had been that their navy should always be greater than that of the next two largest navies combined
• • Extent to which this soured relations with BR is limited as by 1906 Uk built its first dreadnought making all other battleships obsolete
• Germany however continue to pose a threat by attempting to build the same ship, a goal they would achieve in 1968
• • German foreign policy 1890-1908 primarily resulted in the creation of two armed camps in Europe, while posing minimal threat to Br with regards to naval race
• • Franco-russian alliance was first military alliance in the lead up to WWI, requiring mobilisation of ground troops
• • Meant that due to Germany’s non-renewal of reinsurance treaty, the creation of two armed camps in Europe had begun.