Option A: Nineteenth century topic HOW FAR WAS GERMANY RESPONSIBLE FOR TENSIONS OVER THE ISSUE OF NAVAL POWER? Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the questions. Background Information Many historians would agree that Anglo-German rivalry was one of the reasons for Europe's descent into war in 1914. For much of the nineteenth century Britain had confidently ruled the oceans. However, in the early twentieth century both Britain and Germany financed programmes aimed at greatly increasing the size and power of their navies. This rivalry contributed to the growth of militarism and tension between the two countries which helped turn the events of 1914 into a terrible war. It has been argued that Germany was mainly responsible for this rivalry because it considered a strong navy as essential for world domination. On the other hand, it can be argued that Germany's desire to have a strong navy was reasonable and that it was Britain's determination to remain the strongest sea-power that increased tension. How far was Germany responsible for the growing tension between the two countries? SOURCE A Britain's naval policy was driven by the idea that its navy should always be superior to the combined strength of the next two most powerful fleets. It viewed Germany as the main threat, especially when Germany decided that it needed a modern navy. The Second German Naval Law of 1900 led to an increase in the size of the German fleet. Germany wanted this enlarged navy to ensure that it could take a full part in world affairs and protect its trade and colonies. This expansion of the German navy led to anti-German hysteria in Britain with popular stories about Germany planning an invasion of Britain. At this time Britain was obsessed with the Navy and this popular feeling led in 1906 to Sir John Fisher (the most senior Admiral) massively increasing the power of the Royal Navy by launching the 'Dreadnought' battleship which could out-gun any battleship afloat. This transformed the whole idea of naval warfare into a dangerous arms race. Germany was horrified and was forced to construct three of this new type of ship in 1906. In Britain the popular response was 'We want eight and we won't wait.' Soon the government agreed to build eight more. Germany's fears were increased in 1907 when the Anglo-Russian Entente left Germany surrounded by a coalition of Britain, France and Russia. From a recent history book. SOURCE B German battleship building and Weltpolitik opened the door to the Anglo-German naval race. Driven by a desire to make the German Empire the greatest world power and by anti-British motives, the Navy Laws of 1898 and 1900 laid out the course for a huge naval expansion. This expansion was directed against Great Britain and was supported by strong anti-British feeling in Germany. The completed navy would be stationed in home waters and be so strong that it could take offensive action against the British navy. It would also, so Admiral von Tirpitz hoped, force Britain into accepting the German bid for equality as a global empire. However, all it really achieved was to strengthen Britain's determination to stay stronger than Germany by building Dreadnought battleships. Britain was faced with the German plan to build three large ships of the 'Dreadnought' type in 1906 and with the anti-British intentions of this plan. By 1908, Germany had launched the Nassau, the first Dreadnought battleship built for the German navy. From that time British naval construction and war-planning reflected the battleships being built in Germany and a full-scale naval race had begun. Some historians have argued that Germany's desire to establish itself as a world power that over-shadowed Britain made the outbreak of war inevitable. From an online article. SOURCE C I see in British daily papers phrases such as 'German challenge to British naval supremacy'. These phrases are daily drummed into British heads, and if not corrected, might bring about the most deplorable results. It is absolutely nonsensical and untrue that the German Naval Bill is to provide a navy meant as a 'Challenge to British naval supremacy'. The German Fleet is being built against nobody at all. It is solely built for Germany's needs in relation to our rapidly growing trade. A letter from William II to Lord Tweedmouth, February 1908. Tweedmouth was the British government minister in charge of the navy. SOURCE D [Source D] GERMAN SAILOR. "WE DON'T WANT TO FIGHT, BUT, BY JINGO, IF WE DO, WE'VE GOT THE SHIPS, WE'VE GOT THE MEN, WE'VE GOT THE MONEY TOO. " BRITISH SAILOR. "I SAY, THATS'S MY OLD SONG." GERMAN SAILOR. "WELL, IT'S MINE NOW." A British cartoon published in March 1909. SOURCE E [Source E] The Marine Painters of England and Germany. UNCLE EDWARD (to William): "Your little marine masterpiece is too ambitious; keep it as a study,” A German cartoon about the English and German naval programmes, published in 1909. King Edward VII of Britain was the uncle of William II of Germany. A ‘study' is a sketch or a practice piece done in preparation for a finished drawing. SOURCE F You are mad, mad, mad, mad. What has come over you that you are given over to suspicions quite unworthy of a great nation? What more can I do? I have declared with all the emphasis at my command that my heart is set on peace. I have said time after time that I am a friend of England, and your newspapers encourage the people of England to refuse my hand and imply that the other holds a dagger. But you will say, what of the German navy? Surely that is a menace to England! My answer is clear. Germany is a great and growing Empire. It has world-wide trade and interests in the most distant seas. Germany must have a fleet to protect all of this. Its horizons stretch far away. It must be prepared for any eventualities in the Far East. Who can foresee what may take place in the Pacific in the days to come, days not so distant as some believe, for which all European powers with Far Eastern interests ought steadily to prepare? William II speaking in an interview with an English journalist, 28 October 1908. The journalist sent a copy to William for approval before publication. William passed it to Chancellor Prince Bülow who did nothing with it, and the piece was published in an English newspaper. This contributed to Bülow's resignation in 1909. SOURCE G Though a Prussian myself, I consider Prussia a dreadful state from which nothing but dreadful things may be expected; Britain is sure to experience this sooner than most people think. I cannot understand why the British are letting Germany creep up to them so closely in naval armaments. As a member of the Budget Commission I can state that the German Naval Law of 1900 was directed against Britain and Britain alone. Three years ago when another budget was submitted to us it was clear that bigger ships were planned. I am convinced that we are on the eve of the most dreadful war Europe has ever seen. The catastrophe will come in 1912. Germany cannot hope to ever be in a better position for a sudden attack on Britain than then, when the naval forces will be almost matched. A secret letter from August Bebel to the British Foreign Office, October 1910. Bebel was the leader of the German Social Democratic Party which was in opposition to the government. SOURCE H In 1905 the British government announced that, if necessary, its navy would carry out an initial strike against us before we knew that war had been declared. Britain's behaviour showed that it was strongly disposed toward delivering a single military blow that would destroy Germany's international standing. Its keenness on war is understandable if one considers that war posed no risk for Britain at the time because of its Dreadnoughts. I responded to these pressures with care as I did not want to bring war any nearer. The British now deny wanting to go to war with us. As a result many in Germany believe that our fleet construction programme was responsible for the war. They are wrong. It is incomprehensible to me that Bethmann Hollweg continues to pin the blame on the so-called navy policy. The outbreak of war was not caused by a deterioration in Anglo-German relations. Germany and Britain were closer in 1914 than in 1896 when Germany had no navy. I did everything I could to keep negotiations with Britain on a naval agreement alive, but I slowly realised that the British did not take a naval agreement seriously. Rather, they convinced people that the German fleet was to blame for all their problems. They even convinced German diplomats in Britain that the horrible German fleet was all that stood in the way of an alliance with Britain. In fact, the risk of a war with Britain diminished because of the German fleet construction programme and respect for the German navy grew. From the memoirs of Grand Admiral von Tirpitz published in 1919. Tirpitz was in charge of the German Imperial Navy Office from 1897 to 1916 and was responsible for the reform and enlargement of the German navy. Bethmann Hollweg was head of the German government. Now answer all the following questions. You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition to those sources which you are told to use. In answering the questions you should use your knowledge of the topic to help you interpret and evaluate the sources.