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HI136 History of Germany Lecture 4

HI136 History of Germany Lecture 4. Foreign Policy, Imperialism, and the Tale of German Colonies . Europe post 1888. The Bismarckian System. After 1871 Germany needed peace and stability in order to consolidate the gains of the Wars of Unification.

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HI136 History of Germany Lecture 4

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  1. HI136 History of GermanyLecture 4 Foreign Policy, Imperialism, and the Tale of German Colonies

  2. Europe post 1888

  3. The Bismarckian System • After 1871 Germany needed peace and stability in order to consolidate the gains of the Wars of Unification. • Bismarck thus needed to persuade Europe that Germany was a “satiated power”. • The key to German security was keeping France isolated. • There were 5 Great Powers so Germany always needed to be part of a bloc of 3. • The nightmare scenario of encirclement and a war on two fronts needed to be avoided at all costs.

  4. The Making of the Alliance System • The Three Emperors League (1873) • An informal agreement that contained no binding military alliance but committed all three powers to consult on matters of common interest. • The Dual Alliance (1879) • Signed between Germany and Austria-Hungary. • Each agreed to come to the others aid in the event of war with Russia or to remain neutral in a war with any other power. • The treaty was to last for 5 years, but in the event remained valid until 1918. • The Three Emperor’s Agreement (1881) • Germany, Austria-Hungary & Russia agreed to remain neutral in the event of any of them being involved in a war with another power. • The Balkans divided into spheres of influence. • The Triple Alliance (1882)* • Between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. • Germany & Austria agreed to intervene if Italy were attacked by France. • Italy agreed to support Germany if she were attacked by France. • The Reinsurance Treaty (1887) • Germany and Russia agreed to remain neutral in the event of either one of them being involved in a war with a third power.

  5. Wilhelm II Minister for the Navy: Alfred von Tirpitz Philipp zu Eulenburg Imperial Chancellors Leo von Caprivi 1890-1894 ChlodwigzuHohenloe -Schillingfurst 1894-1900 Bernhard von Bülow 1900-1909 Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg 1909-1917

  6. The ‘New Course’, 1890-94 • Not a coherent policy, reflected the Kaiser’s anti-Russian and pro-British sympathies, and lack of diplomatic sensitivity • 1890: Germany allows the Reinsurance Treaty to lapse • Russia no longer considered Germany’s natural ally. • Considered incompatible with Germany’s other commitments. • Overtures to Britain • Close dynastic relationship. • 1890: Anglo-German Convention. • Result: pushes Russia into the arms of France.

  7. The Diplomatic Revolution, 1900-1907 • 1902: Anglo-Japanese Alliance • Marked an end to Britain’s isolation. • Led to negotiations with France, as Britain feared that growing Russo-Japanese tensions would drag the UK and France into war. • 1904: Entente Cordiale • Not an alliance as such. • France agreed to give Britain a free-hand in Egypt in return for acceptance of her domination of Morocco. • Opened the way for future co-operation. • 1907: Anglo-Russian Convention • Persia, Tibet, and Afghanistan divided into spheres of influence. • Further aligned Britain with France and Russia against Germany and the Triple Alliance. Cartoon depicting Britain walking off with the ‘trollop’ France, while Germany pretends not to care.

  8. Weltpolitik • A more aggressive and assertive foreign policy after 1897. • A clear rejection of Bismarck’s ‘continental policy’ in favour of the ‘World Policy’ (Weltpolitik). • The emphasis on the expansion of Germany’s overseas empire – intended to demonstrate her power and prestige to the other Great Powers. • 1897: Seizure of the Chinese port of Kiaochow& Shantung province claimed as a German ‘sphere of influence’. • 1898: Purchase of Pacific islands (the Carolines, Marshalls and Marianas) from Spain. • 1899: Acquisition of the Samoan Islands. • 1900: Germany leads multi-national intervention force after the Boxer Rebellion.

  9. The Debate over Weltpolitik • Fritz Fischer et. al. → Three main aims of Weltpolitik: to create a large German Navy demonstrating her claim to be a world power, a Central African Empire (Mittelafrika) and a Central European customs union (Mitteleuropa). All part of a master plan to achieve World Power (Weltmacht). • Wehler, Berghahn, Geiss → Weltpolitik motivated by domestic concerns and a substitute for unwanted social change (‘Social Imperialism’). • David Kaiser → Weltpolitik was ‘a patriotic umbrella, not a magic wand’ – rather than being designed to outflank the Socialists, it was a means to unite the Conservatives, National Liberals and the Centre Party behind the government. Appearances more important than realities. • Hull, Zimmerer, Kundrus et al: German colonial history shows us new aspects of Imperial Germany as well as possible (genocidal) continuities

  10. Flottenpolitik • A world empire required a strong navy to defend it. • In the 1890s Germany had only the world’s 7th biggest navy, but its share of world trade was almost as large as Britain’s. • 1898: Alfred von Tirpitz appointed State Secretary for the Navy. • 1898: First Navy Law – provided funds for the construction of 16 new battleships. • 1900: Second Navy law – allowed for the construction of 3 ships a year for the next 6 years. • 1906: Britain launches HMS Dreadnought, a revolution in naval technology which was thought to have made all existing battleships obsolete. • 1908-1912: Naval building stepped up, leading to a dangerous and expensive arms race with Britain.

  11. Age of sailors suits

  12. The Agadir Crisis (1911) • July 1911: Germany sends to gunboat Panther to the Moroccan port of Agadir in an attempt to force territorial concessions from the French. • Alarmed by these bullying tactics Britain threatens to intervene. • Austria makes it clear that she will not fight over Morocco and Germany is forced to back down. • An example of Weltpolitik at its worst.

  13. The Balkan Wars (1912-13) • Bosnia and Herzegowina were Austrian since 1878 • First Balkan War (1912): Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria and Montenegro wrest control of Macedonia from Turkey. • Second Balkan War (1913): Bulgaria attacks Serbia and is decisively defeated by the Greeks and Serbs. • Anglo-German co-operation secures a settlement in the Balkans at the London Conference. • Germany initially restrains Austria, • But after 1913 she agrees to back her ally in any future confrontation with Serbia (and by extension Russia).

  14. Bismarck’s Colonial Policy • Bismarck was generally ambivalent about colonial expansion, considering an overseas empire to be an expensive indulgence. • But public pressure for a colonial empire led to the acquisition of a number of territories in Africa. • The Berlin Congo Conference of 1884-5 laid down the rules for European expansion in Africa and granted colonies to Germany. • Yet Bismarck’s flirtation with colonialism was short-lived – by 1887 resisting pressure for more colonies so not to antagonize Britain. Punch cartoon depicting Bismarck as the “irrepressible Tourist” (1885)

  15. German colonies Africa (1884): German South West Africa Togo Cameroon German East Africa (1885) Asia: German New Guinea (1885-1914) German Samoa (1900-1914) Kiaochow (leased 1898-1914)

  16. Participating Groups • DeutscherKolonialverein (German Colonial Association): • Founded 1882. • Campaigned for the establishment of German colonies. • Membership had reached 9,000 by 1884. • Merged with the Society for German Colonization in 1887 to form the Deutsche Koloialgesellschaft (German Colonial Society). • AlldeutscherVerband (Pan-German League): • Founded in 1891 by Alfred Hugenberg & Karl Peters. • Radical right-wing nationalist organization which supported Weltpolitik and saw itself as an unofficial watchdog, critic and advisor to successive governments. • Had 8,601 members in 1896, rising to over 20,000 in 1900. • DeutscherFlottenverein (German Navy League): • Founded in 1898 with just over 14,000 members. • Campaigned for an enlarged German fleet and supported Weltpolitik. • Had strong links with big business and Conservative politicians. • Had over 330,000 members in 1914.

  17. German Acquisitions in Africa 1884-85 Source: Farmer & Stiles, The Unification of Germany 1815-1919

  18. Indigenous Rebellions against German rule • Herero and Nama in German SWA (1904-08) • Maji-Maji Rebellion in German East Africa (1905-07) • Over 200,000 indigenous dead

  19. German Imperial Army in SWA

  20. Hendrik Witbooi, leader of the Nama (killed 1905)

  21. Arendt's Ghosts Origins of Totalitarianism (1951) “If race-thinking were a German invention, as it has been sometimes asserted, then “German thinking” (whatever that may be) was victorious in many partsof the spiritual world long before the Nazis started their ill-fated attempt at world conquest.”

  22. Conclusion • German Unification upset the balance of power. • Despite Bismarck’s best efforts, Weltpolitik convinced the other Great Powers that Germany was dangerous to the peace and stability of Europe. • But Germany’s foreign policy based on the principle of the search for security. • By 1914 Germany felt surrounded by hostile powers, was slowly being bankrupted by the arms race, and under pressure from social change at home. • War was thus seen by some as the ideal way out of Germany’s problems.

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