The Key Features of Kaiser Wilhelm II's Foreign Policy

Britain controlled the seas with its powerul navy which it used for protection and open trade with its empire.

In 1898 Kaiser Wilhelm announced that Germany was going to build 41 battleships and 61 cruisers. The Kaiser's ambitions caused alarm in Britain. This was seen as a challenge to British navall supremacy.

The launch of HMS Dreadnought by Britain in 1906 changed everything. This new ship was faster, had longer-range guns and it had such an impact that all similar battle ships were now called 'Dreadnoughts'.

There was an Anglo-German Naval Race.

In 1909, the Germans were speeding up their production of Dreadnoughts.

Public opinion was alarmed by this as they felt this was a challenge to Europe.

Britain had been planning to build 4 Dreadnoughts in 1909, but there were demands for this to be doubled - 'we want eight and we won't wait'.

After 1911 the naval race continued but it was less intense because Britain had gone further ahead. By 1914, Britain had 29 to Germany's 17.

Germany didn't realise the theat that it posed as Britain relied  on its navy.

This naval rivalry didn't directly cause the war, but it did mean that if a war came, Britain was likely to fight.

Kaiser Wilhelm II wanted to be in the international limelight as the leader of Germany's army and the founder of a great navy. His wish was to make Germany the greatest nation in the world - weltpolitik.

Jealous of the British Empire, he set out to give Germany a 'place in the sun'.

He often upset other countries with his habit of making dramatic gestures and statements. This led to him building up the German Navy and challenging France in Morocco.

Wilhelm's actions did much to increase tension and rivalry between the Great Powers. His ideas of Weltpolitik and a large navy threatened Britain, he challenged the Entente Cordiale in Morocco which angered France and he supported Austria-Hungary in the Balkans which angered Russia.

By 1907 Europe had been divided up into the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente. All the alliances were defensive but, as they were secret, this wasn't known. Therefore, all countries feared the other alliances.

Germany felt that the Entente Cordiale powers were trying to surround them - a Policy of Encirclement.
France and Russia felt Germany was trying to expand its territory towards them.

There was an arms race with regards to the size and strength of their armed forces. All countries, except for Britain, had introduced conscription. Spending was doubled and weaponry was produced.

This increased tension and made war more likely as each country was more confident of success and more willing to fight.