World War I- Pre History

British- German Enmity

 

Anglo-German relations are the bilateral relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Federal Republic of Germany.

While economic and formal political contacts between the two European countries are co-operative and friendly, a tendency of hatred existed (until now) in both the British media's reporting and in society more generally. Perhaps this is not easily understandable due to unbalanced Media powers and world's most spoken English language.

Most of the negative images of modern Germany may date back to World War II Propaganda. Others, however, argue that it stems from Britain's "selective xenophobia" and a fear of coming into contact with Europe and an easy way to express hostility to the European Union (in which Germany is a powerful member state). What is clear, however, is that the combination of Germany's wartime with her central postwar role as a driving force in the development of European integration, and now political union, has not been ideal in creating a positive attitude vis a vis a naturally eurosceptic British public.
The German ambassador to Britain blames history teaching in British schools and criticizes a "cultural ignorance" among young Britons. BBC from Dec 2002. However, this statement betrays a "cultural ignorance" all of its own, in not recognising the seminal moment in UK and world history that was British defiance to Germany in 1940. It was Britain's finest moment, but also laid the seeds of her own decline.
Despite this, Britain (and herein England in particular) shares a long history with Germany and a rich political and cultural exchange. Before the naval arms race of the early 20th century, both nations were indeed close, not least due to the Royal connection.

Royal Family

Since 1714 the British crown has been hold by German nobilty: First through the House of Hanover then from 1901 onwards by the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (which renamed itself to House of Windsor in 1917). However, the Royal Family can now be considered fully Anglicised.

Inside Naval Conflict

 

One of the fatal errors, which Germany commits to claim power, opposite to England is seen in its own upswing with a maritime component, i.e., to strengthen the German fleet. Fisheries along with trade ship development Parallel to rising productivity and population also increased. In addition, the German Reich acquires the first colonies since 1884. It’s profound economy, population and politics grow and people in Germany believe to acquire a place for itself equally beside the established countries France and England. The general enthusiasm and the faith in the sense of using of world trade and world politics are at that time in the German Reich as common as the positive opinion for the globalisation of politics and economics today. Particularly, Emperor Wilhelm II young in age and less experienced in this regard raises equal validity of Germany in the world to his political program. The emperor, son of an English princess and beloved grandchild of Queen Victoria in London, is strongly impressed of everything, which he experienced from English way of life and policy. His fascination for world trade, building of fleets and colonies originates from this inheritance.

Emperor Wilhelm II let a fleet building starting in 1898, which is to protect the commerce and overseas connections beyond the coastal defence operated so far with international crisis or in the case of defence against interruptions.
Germany goes thereby on a field on which other nations are long at home, so that the development of her own navy is in no respect unusual. The German Reich issues its first law of fleets building in 1898. England had already introduced new fleet schedules of work in 1889 and 1894, Russia in 1890 and 1895, France in 1891, Japan in 1896 and the USA in 1897. Emperor Wilhelm II., German Reich and the naval line take over the development of the up to then small German war navy under admiral von Tirpitz since 1898 thus violating nothing, for which one could call war-floating or immoral. The German fleet existing since 1898 - which concerns the large „Kalibar “finally, only of nine battle Ships and cruisers of first class in comparison to 72 British battle ships.

The German Reich grants in 1900 its second law of building of fleets, which plans the development of own navy on a strength of approximately two third of the English which would be finished in 1920. That calls Great Britain on the plan. The German building of fleets starting from 1898 pursues first the general goal that Germany could step along with other modern states in the race to hold around markets and influence in the world and does not drop back. In 1900, the emperor and the naval line try to develop a new position opposite to England. Germany wants to protect thereby first of all its fishing fleet against the ruthless offensive of English Fisher fleet.
Secondly, it wants to establish overseas import and export and thus to free a majority of its rising economy from England’s „favour “. Thirdly, Germany wants to secure itself from England’s fleet militarily, particularly against their sea-blockade possibilities. And above all, the German politicians hope to become an interesting ally for Great Britain with an appropriate fleet.
The first reason refers to the Pirate method, with which England’s Fishers at that time frequently - and even in the German territorial waters – forced the German Fishers out to open Ocean and drove through their fishing Nets. The second aims at England sea power, with which it can carry, obstruct or prevent international trade. The Third is a reaction to England’s tradition of the sea-blockades in conflicts with which it cut off sea routes of both opposing and even exporting countries of raw material and food goods in the past. The new German fleet is to become so strong now that it can blow up „the close blockade “of the German ports in the North Sea in the future.

The fourth reason is strategic of political nature. The emperors and the naval line believe that England in case of a conflict with other sea powers could need Germany with a respectable fleet as ally and in such a way Germany could come to a partnership with Great Britain on same eye level.
In case of tensions between Great Britain and Germany one counts in addition on it, England would better hold peace and would, if necessary negotiate against a sufficient strong sea power Germany, instead of risking the own fleet in a naval warfare. The fourth reason behind Germany’s fleet armament before the First World War is thus defensive. They aim neither to trigger wars, nor they strive for colonial or other land gains. Meanwhile,the earth is also divided. The Emperor, the Reich government and the naval line however, reaches with the building of fleets the opposite of getting closer to England or safety of the trade routes and security for Germany. The reasons for “prick in England’s Flesh” are rapid German economic growth, commercial competition on the mainland and in overseas. Both cannot be fought with a war, without taking over with it “the fault” of such a war debt, it is that, one passes on the war debt to Germany. Thus, because of German fleet building, public opinion is developed as a reason for war in England and Imply Germany to strive for world domination. In this connection it is interesting to compare the structure of fleet in both countries as well as of marines of Russia and the USA.

The basis philosophies of the fleet schedules of work of Great Britain and the German Reich are different. Admiral von Tirpitz and the marine line develop the conception that a German war navy is in strength of approximately 60% of the English the right way fitted to the solution of the four goals: Protection of the North Sea fishery, the own trade on that seas, protection from sea-blockades and the alliance ability with England. According to Tirpitz, one cannot endanger conviction of England’s security and naval supremacy in reality with such a 60% fleet.
Then Tirpitz believes, one can thereby, blow up England’s sea- blockades, and to attack and sink parts of the English fleet in case of a war in the North Sea, so that Great Britain itself in such a case would rather lead negotiation with the German Reich instead of the risk to lose expensive ships at wars. The risk idea gives the new Tirpitz fleet its name „risk fleet “. the modern word for it would be "deterrent". In addition, then calculates admiral von Tirpitz and the emperor, Great Britain in case of a war with its two colonial rivals France and Russia could have an interest in an alliance with quick-strong Germany, who maintain the next strong marine ones to England. But this calculation does not come up. In England one is convinced of the fact that the own navy must always be superior against the sum of the two next large fleets around approximately 10% at number and strength, so that one can exist if necessary also alone victoriously against two allied opposing sea powers. This is same thinking, from which the Soviet Union became encrusted to hold large quantities of land armed forces five decades later. In England one believes that the British supremacy on the seas and the creation of value from the colonies are safe only this way in the long term. Therefore, London issued „the Naval Defence act in the year 1899 “over „the Two power standard “and raised the projection/lead of the British fleet over the next two large to the law. 1899 is still the French and the Russian navy.

Since 1900, the year of the second German law of building of fleets, urge two of new competitors on the field. Starting from approximately 1903 it becomes visible for the admiralty in London that the so far only second-class fleets of the USA and Germany for them become the nine counting factors in „the Two power standard “.The German war navy surpasses the French and the Russian 1903 and thereby occupies place three of the world rank list after already before the ascended USA. From now on England must build each time own additional ship to balance a new in North America and Germany. The numbers of the large battle ships in the USA and Germany grow from 1901 to nearly constant in same quantities up to the beginning of the First World War of 17 each on approximately 45 in both countries. Great Britain prepares accordingly from 43 in the year 1901 on 85 in the year 1914, in order to keep the Two power standard. England tried to challenge the competitors by a jump in quality but also that does not succeed.Starting from 1904 on England’s shipyards is put by a new type capital ship on Kiel, so called the Dreadnought class with higher speed, stronger armouring and efficient on-board artillery as on past ships. But „the Dreadnought jump “the Royal Navy does not bring the expected achievement. The USA still pull tight in the same year; Germany, France, Japan and Italy until three years later. For Great Britain this fleet armament becomes expensive, and London must find a way out, politically. The search for the way goes many traces. The first trace, that England follows, leads directly to Germany. The British government tries several times between 1898 and 1901 to divert the German on that ways of negotiations of warship building. Germany demands British- German alliance in return, which the British is not ready to accept. That promotes the German side the conviction that one must have more ships to put on in order to be for such an alliance ripe and interesting, on one Hague disarmament conference, Britain strives further to put the German warship building into chains through contracts but in vain.

1908 and 1912 the English king Edward VII and two of Cabinet members visit the German emperor and the Marie Commanders, in order to convince them of the fact that battle shipbuilding must be stopped in Germany or at least throttled. Since England already stands in contract at that time in the opponent camp and is also not ready to close on German desire a German- English neutrality contract there is no cause for the German emperor at once to refrain from the 60% fleet and stop the building of ships. The end of this first trace leads directly to second. England looks for the reconciliation of interests with the past sea powers number two and three, with France and Russia. There was - as already described - an alignment with both countries of their colonial interests and 1904 the Entente with the France and 1907 the English Russian contract. So Germany is encircled starting from 1907 by one „Tripple Entente “ of France, Great Britain and Russia, which played after 1914 its turns of chase  skillfully one after another after the murder in Sarajevo. Thus the warning shot of Germany’s fleet politics went- loose from to the rear.

The real challenges of the Post War Period are vast development of German science and technology, economic growth and competition on all markets. The German building of fleets is no serious threat for England, even if it makes difficulties.The building of the Tirpitz fleet with the four goals: Protection of the German fishery and protection of the trade, breaking blockades and alliance ability with Great Britain were legitimate, but in view of the opponent England imprudent. The building of fleets on Germany shipyards is symbol of economical, political and military strength for the elite in Great Britain. It shows enormously - which the elite understood before long - that Germany demands now free competition and same rights on the globe.

To a genuine sea power belong other than a fleet also strategic-geographical positions, from which the fleet can work. Great Britain possesses even a piece of Atlantic coast and has otherwise world-wide foreign bases between Sydney and Gibralter. It can lead a navy from there and maintain its supply chain. It can protect its merchant fleet from there and close commercial routes of other countries. An important factor, a naval fleet which would be essential for Germany to be a Sea power was completely missing. The German Reich out of Sea strategy, positioned itself only in the North Sea. The entry and exit to and from the German naval port of Kiel and Wilhelmshaven may at any time be cut off by a "tight blockade" in the North Sea, a wide blockade "to the North outputs or a" strategic blockade "on the Atlantic. If Germany wanted to be dangerous to Britain on the seas, it would have built Great Atlantic fleet equal to the Royal Navy and ports on the Atlantic coast. This was either from Kaiser Wilhelm II, the kingdom government, nor from Tirpitz ever sought. The "risk fleet" is designed for the naval battle in the North Sea only and not for a war to colonial empire England. This was Tirpitz’s "mistake", because its fleet never really hurt Britain during the First World War. The England Sea strategists knew everything, and still insisting the British government and the king before the First World War that Germany is a threat to Great Britain.

The threat theory has a second weak side, and this is in the overall review of all fleets visible. Even before the start of the first German Fleet building plan England, Russia, France, Japan, the United States, started to upgrade their own fleets. Under the direction of Admiral Jackie Fisher, the First Sea Lord from 1905 to 1910, the Royal Navy embarked on its own massive expansion to keep ahead of the Germans. The cornerstone of British naval rearmament was to be the massive Dreadnought battleship, which had been introduced in 1906. From then on until 1914, the British and Germans vied with each other to construct superior numbers of battleships, submarines, and other naval vessels and weaponry, constituting the main (but by no means only) bone of contention between Great Britain and Germany. Thus, Germany's fleet expansion was a part of an international arms race. The increase of German ships maintained its limits through the parallel development of the other navies. Germany's fleet must therefore always be in the context of the fleets of those countries, which had treaties with the German Reich. In 1914 Germany built 45 battle ships against 150 ships in the fleets of Russia, England and France. Since 1907 Russia also built the Baltic fleet and binds parts of the German Navy which was not at all useful against England. And France took over from 1912 to safeguard the Mediterranean Sea to England and thus let British Mediterranean fleet operate freely in the North Sea. That’s why even, the Tirpitz plan was a mistake. The German Navy never won a strength which England would seriously fear before the First World War.

But from England's perspective, it was different. Out of a mixture of Adventure and benefit out of business, the elite and the people in England felt the necessity for a world empire, which they obtained after great struggle and fought to keep together successfully over three centuries,. The "right" to be number one, and if necessary to defend this is for the British a natural right beyond all doubt. To this basic understanding England never tolerated any competitors either on the seas or on the European continent. A competitor can only be put under pressure while it still has been unsuccessful. Under such circumstances the strategy of "Balance of Power" has been developed. It ensures that no state in Europe can develop more power than another power, which they kept in keen watch. The German Empire ran against this British "game rule" in 1902, when the Navy of the emperor became larger than those of the Tsar of Russia. Furthermore, Because of the German Shipbuilding progress, Britain, arranged with France and Russia and thus abandoned Germany’s freedom of action. According to this arrangement the protection of maritime trade routes through the Mediterranean goes to France. And finally, the German Navy was a threat for North Sea coast of England. But what The Royal Navy was doing with the German North Sea coast was never morally mentioned.

The fact that the Tirpitz fleet in the First World War alerted Germany that the Royal Navy planning, exercising and investigating before and during the war, namely landing troops in Germany's North Sea coast to block and penetrate into the Baltic Sea, where Britain united with Russia's Baltic fleet to attack the German coast that the Tirpitz fleet prevented this raises no doubt whether its construction has caused the war. It is clear that the Shipbuilding in Germany rose Public sentiment in England before the First World War. It is also clear that in Germany before the wars neither was any plan nor any intention for a war or whatever against United Kingdom. It is also noted that the English government rejected all kind of non-aggression treaty or neutrality or a friendship pact with the Reich government from 1901 to 1912 repeatedly. London insists on its "right" to war against Germany. Tirpitz and the emperor's hope for greater security and a better ability alliance of the German Reich remain unfulfilled.

The assertion of German and English historian, the Tirpitz fleet was the main reason for the enmity of England against Germany, is not absolute. First, the enmity is older than the Tirpitz fleet and secondly, the extent of the German Fleet reformation alone, compared with the fleet strengths of the Americans, British, Russians and French, at no time a reason for war anxiety or hostility .

It is the total potential in Germany’s growth this time, which the Englishmen depressed. The imperial German fleet alone is a symbol for this and is enough.