Source A and B don’t provide enough information to say if rivalry between Britain and Germany was severe, it only outlines the message of anti – war and anti – Russian feelings. Both of these articles were published on 1st August, where public opinion was divided and conflict was on the verge of happening, Grey hoped to ‘mediate’ on that day in Berlin however Wilhelm II turned down the offer. This therefore in my opinion angered the British as they offered peace but they rejected it. Source B also shows the possible outcome if Germany became ‘victorious’. Therefore it does to an extent is weary of Germany as it is scared that a ‘dominant Germany’ may occur if it was to enter and lose the war. Therefore there would be a shift in balance of power in Europe. For the same reason Britain went to war with Napoleon 100 years before 1914. Britain were keen to keep the deviances of Europe. Source B is from a member of public and therefore portrays the anti-German feeling, by most of the population of Britain. However public opinion doesn’t dictate policy, and therefore they have no power in whether to say if Britain should go to war with Germany.
Britain were worried by Germany's increasing Naval strength as well as the threat posed by Germany to their Indian colony. Germany were also growing at a fast rate economically. By 1906-10 they had overtaken Britain in their percentage of World manufacturing capacity. If we accumulate these points, then it becomes very clear why the government was worried. They felt that Germany were encroaching on their strengths and were trying to undermine British vigour. Britain wanted to preserve their Empire and maintain their own European strength. What happens to France and Belgium was unimportant unless Germany or any other country became a direct Naval threat towards Britain.
There were economic conflicts between Germany and Britain from 1898 onwards. Germany was unified in 1871 and rapidly became the strongest economic and military power in Europe, the products of her industry were competing with British manufacturers everywhere and German merchant ships threatened Britain's carrying trade, this is also looked at for a reason for Britain's declaration of war. However Britain still produced more coal than the five powers of the continent combined. Germany produced more steel whereas Britain produced as much iron as the Triple Alliance. British production in all of the vital sectors of the economy rose steadily in the fifty years prior to 1914, however by the time war broke out Germany was producing more coal, more iron and twice as much as steel than Britain. However economic tension was not that severe that war seemed likely to happen.
Germany was now Britain's main rival as her main concern was to preserve her overseas empire and trade by maintaining a large army, which Germany posed a threat to. In 1898 Dr Jameson after convincing the Government raided Transvaal in South Africa, which Britain had long desired to have as a colony. The raid failed, the Boers (Dutch farmers) in Transvaal captured the British. Kaiser congratulated the Boers by sending a telegram, and therein weakening the Anglo-German relations.
European reactions the Boer War suggested that Britain had no support in Europe, showing Britain's slow decline. The British Foreign office was known to be anti-German, increasing their decline in relations. Their anti-German views were expressed through the press, here is an example, it is from a secret memorandum of Francis Bertie of the Foreign Office;
'Germany is a dangerous situation in Europe…surrounded by governments who distrust her…and…dislike her.'
By 1900, Britain owned a quarter of the world. Countries such as Canada, India, South Africa, Egypt, Australia and New Zealand were owned by Britain as part of the British Empire. Queen Victoria had been crowned Empress of India. Huge amounts of money were made from these colonies and Britain had a powerful military presence in all parts of the world. The Empire was seen as the status symbol of a country that was the most powerful in the world. Hence Britain's title "Great Britain". Germany clearly believed that a sign of a great power was possession of overseas colonies. The 'best' had already been taken by Britain but Germany resolved to gain as much colonial territory as possible.
Her main target was Africa. She colonised territory in southern Africa (now Namibia) which no-one really wanted as it was useless desert but it did create much anger in London as Germany's new territories were near South Africa with its huge diamond and gold reserves. In reality, Germany's African colonies were of little economic importance but it gave her the opportunity to demonstrate to the German people that she had Great Power status even if this did make relations with Britain more fragile than was perhaps necessary for the economic returns Germany got from her colonies.
A second issue that caused much friction between Britain and Germany was Germany's desire to increase the size of her navy. Britain accepted that Germany, as a large land-based country, needed a large army. But Germany had a very small coastline and Britain could not accept that Germany needed a large navy.
Britain concluded that Germany's desire to increase the size of her navy was to threaten Britain's naval might in the North Sea. In 1900 Germany passed a Navy Law, which doubled the German battle fleet. The British government concluded that as an island we needed a large navy and they could not accept any challenges from Germany. As a result, a naval race took place. Between1909 and 1911 Germany built nine dreadnoughts while Britain completed eighteen. This increased military and naval rivalry led to belief that the war was coming. As a result of the armaments race, all European powers were prepared for a war by 1914. Germany’s rivalry may have also been a factor contributing to British declaration of war.
In 1905 Germany decided to test the Entente Cordiale between Britain and France. This leads to tension between the countries involved but it was not so severe that war between them seems likely to happen. In what was to become the Moroccan crisis Germany challenged France's right to intervene in Morocco. Germany demanded an international conference the result of which was a blow to Germany. Wilhelm II visited Tangier and this only served to upset the British even more.
Britain, France, Spain and Russia all agreed that France should have the right to control the Moroccan Bank and Police. Prime Minister Grey of Britain believed that giving way would be an acceptance of Germany's diplomatic domination of Europe and North Africa.
In 1911 France occupied Fez the capital of Morocco whilst putting down a rebellion against the Sultan. The Germans sent a warship: the Panther to the port of Agadir This was immediately viewed by the British in a very dim light. Britain's worries were that if the French gave way Germany would get access to Agadir, which was a vital port on her trade routes.
Once again though the Anglo-French agreement survived and Germany was warned (in a famous speech delivered in the House of Commons by David Lloyd Jones) that Britain would not accept any interference with her trade routes. Germany was offered a few strips of the French Congo and France received Special Rights in regard to Morocco. If Germany had doubted Britain's preparedness to stand by its new found partner, she was no longer under any illusions.
The feelings of being surrounded grew in Germany, as did the gnawing doubts about her ability to build the much sort after empire - at every turn they were faced by Britain. Germany's problem therefore lay in how to deal with her immediate neighbours without bringing Britain into the fray.
Overall I personally believe there should have been no need to got to war with Germany as its economic, naval tension was not that severe, however the fact remained though that Germany's plan rested on passing her Army through Belgium, a country that by the Treaty of London in 1839 had been declared neutral. That treaty had been signed by Britain and Prussia and following the Franco-Prussian war both France and Prussia had again agreed to recognise Belgium's neutrality.
By invading Belgium, Germany gave Britain the excuse it needed to declare war. There was a general willingness on behalf of the British people themselves to go to war against Germany. Germany was seen as a threat to Britain’s naval power and thus to her empire. Breaking the neutrality of Belgium was a severe factor which caused Britain to join the war.