How far do these sources support the idea that Germany was warlike and aggressive in its foreign policy in the years 1899-1914?

Sources two and three support the idea that Germany was only aggressive not warlike. Source two suggests that Bertie felt that Germany was more aggressive than warlike due to the situations she (Germany) was kept in. He stated in his secret memorandum that, “She wanted the sea board of Holland”. This implies that Germany was an aggressive dealer which might have caused a lot trouble for Germany. It states that Germany was best served by keeping Britain/France/Russia arguing, because it had no other option. Source three, a response to an earlier memorandum by Crowe states that Germany had an “inability o appreciate the sensitivities of others.” It also states that Germany’s “support had been serviceable to us.”(British). So these two sources give us the impression that Germany was only aggressive and not warlike.

However source four doesn’t support the question at all and states that Germany was not aggressive or warlike. The fact that it was a secret memorandum by the Kaiser implies that he meant every word of it; however in 1914 the Kaiser didn’t have much weight in German affairs so it probably means that it was his own opinion and not the whole government’s. It leads us to think that the Triple Entente is using the “Austro-Serb, conflict as a pretext waging a war of annihilation against us.” He blames the British that its “balancing power in Europe” by “paying off all European states for her own benefit against us.” This source goes completely against the question given and shows that Germany was neither aggressive nor warlike in its foreign policy.

Sources five and six aren’t pertinent to answering the question given. Source five, an aggressive and warlike poem written shortly after the outbreak of war implies that Germany should “build a monument of smoking corpses…”, that it should turn “countries into deserts.” This source is potentially pertinent because it’s written by a man who may not be an influential German figure, it could be an opinion of only one fanatic. Source six just shows figures of Germany increasing their military spending. This could conclude that it is either being warlike or improving its defenses against an increasing threat of the ever-increasing army of the Triple Entente.

In conclusion, even thought not all the sources support the question fully, the underlying impression given by them all is that Germany may have been more aggressive than warlike in its foreign policy.