Besides the alliance system, Germany’s foreign policies also led to the coming of World War I. In order to find more raw materials and market for her manufactured goods, Germany started her colonial expansion in Asia and Africa. However, the colonial expansion brought conflicts between Germany and other powers. In 1905 and 1911, both Germany and France had conflict over Morocco and thus led to the two Morocco Crises. Whereas, the Anglo- German relations was worsened as both Germany and Britain had colonial rivalry over Boer Republic in South Africa. As a result, Britain turned to the French side. In addition, Germany’s building of the Berlin- Baghdad Railway and growing influence in Turkey alarmed Russia. All these colonial expansion created fear, suspicion and rivalry which intensified the European situation.
Germany was also largely responsible for speeding up the arms race in Europe. Germany first started military conscription in Europe and caused the other European countries to follow. After Germany suffered from humiliation in the First Moroccan Crises of 1905, she increased her military expansion and thus caused threat to other European countries. In 1900, the proclamation of the German Navy Law which double the number of German’s battleships alarmed the British who regarded such act as a challenge to her naval superiority, this brought about severe Anglo- Germany naval rivalry. To make things worse, in both Disarmament Conferences in Hague, Germany strongly objected to disarmament attempts. The armament race hence further strained the tense relations between the two rival camps and made war likely.
In addition, Germany’s extreme nationalism and expansion was undoubtedly a cause for the outbreak of World War I. The Pan- German Movement aimed at uniting all the Germans of Central Europe under one German state. However, the Pan- German Movement clashed with Pan- Slavism. Since Germany supported Austrian expansion in the Balkans, she came into conflicts with Russia as well. This further enlarged the conflicts between the two armed camps.
Other than the underlying causes, Germany also contributed to the immediate causes of World War I.
In the Bosnian Crisis of 1908 and the Balkan wars of 1913, Germany strongly supported Austrian expansion in the Balkans. It increased Austria’s ambitions. After the Sarajevo assassination, Germany gave Austria a “blank cheque”, this unlimited support towards Austria strengthened Austria’s determination to crush Serbia and made the conflict between Austria and Serbia localise impossible.
Germany’s militarist policy was also one of the immediate causes for the outbreak of World War I. Germany’s militarists believed that war was inevitable and declared war on Russia and attacked France through Belgium, which was the Schlieffen Plan. On August 4, 1914, Germany invaded Belgium whose neutrality was guaranteed by the Treaty of London. Britain condemned this violation of Belgium neutrality and declared war on Germany on the same day. Therefore, the Schlieffen Plan directly brought about the outbreak of World War I.
Germany’s responsibility in bringing a World War continues as she again to a large extent brought in World War II.
Firstly, Germany violated international order and principles and resulted in the destruction of collective security. In 1933, after becoming German chancellor, Hitler withdrew Germany from the Geneva Disarmament Conference and the League of nations. The situation became more uncontrollable in 1934 after establishing a dictatorship following the death President Hindenburg. In 1935, Hitler openly violated the terms of the Treaty of Versailles by declaring Germany’s intention to rearm in that year; he started a rearmament programme, based on national conscription to more than 50,000 armies and the formation of a German air force. In March, 1936, Hitler sent the German troops into the Rhineland. This was a violation of the Treaty of Versailles as the Eastern and Western banks of Rhineland had been demilitarised. Meanwhile, when both Britain and France were unable to act collectively, Hitler’s ambitious expansion was much encouraged and the spirit of collective security was much deteriorated.
The German reckless aggressions in contrast to Britain and France’s appeasement policy showed another German responsibility. In March, 1938, the German troops matched into Austria and proclaimed Anschluss with Austria, which became a province of the German Reich. This German annexation of Austria was a direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles which results from the appeasement attitude of both Britain and France, especially in the subsequent Munich Conference (29th September, 1938). When Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia was annexed by Germany, Hitler’s spirit of invasion was much strong. The direct outcome was the occupation of the rest of Czechoslovakia in March, 1939. Then after signing the Non- aggression Pact with Soviet Russia in August, 1939, Germany invaded Poland on 1st September, 1939 and this directly brought the outbreak of World War II.
Forming co- operation and alliances with other aggressive powers actively was also another German responsibility. To help create fascist Spain as a hostile neighbour of France, from 1936 both Germany and Italy jointly intervened the Spanish Civil War. The combined German and Italian forces helped General Franco to capture Madrid and set up a Fascist dictatorship in Spain. This stimulated Mussolini’s intention in further territorial expansion. The Berlin- Rome Axis, the Anti- Comintern Pact and the Berlin- Rome- Tokyo Axis aggravated the situation. Finally, the Nazi- Soviet Non- Aggression Pact which agreed to divide Poland between Germany and Soviet Union set the prelude of World War II.
Al in all, the outbreak of the two World Wars was to a great extent due to Germany’s aggressive expansionist policies. Both Kaiser William II’s ambitious policy and Hitler’s aggressive moves heightened international tensions and finally contributed to the two World Wars.
