Why was Germany so keen to go to war in 1914?

The outbreak of war in August 1914 was not unexpected. Diplomatic tension between the Central powers GERMANY & AUSTRIA-HUNGARY and the ENTENTE POWERS of RUSSIA, FRANCE & BRITAIN had been rising for years.

DREIKAISERBUND 1881 - an understanding of how peace could be kept between Austria-Hungary, Russia and Germany.

TRIPLE ALLIANCE 1882 - was between Austria-Hungary, Italy and Germany which was a defensive alliance between the three.

Germany thought they could fight a war on two fronts, this would rely on slow French and even slower Russian mobilisation.

BRITAIN VS GERMANY??

The following years saw a fundamental sea change in the relationship between Britain and Germany,

FLOTTENPOLITIK, and a series of Naby Laws were a direct challenge to British Naval Supremecy. Their impact was to spark a Naval arms race between the two nations. 1906 launch of the HMS DREADNOUGHT lead to massive german expenditure.

German support for the BOERS in the BOER WAR 1899-1902 further antagonised relations.

Over the coming years Britain ended its 'SPLENDID ISOLATION' and her subsequent alliance with JAPAN (1902) and RUSSIA (1907) leaving Germany over-reliant on Austria-Hungary

WELTPOLITIK - despite considerable pressure from groups such as the COLONIAL SOCIETY it did not achieve much in terms of NEW TERRITORY.......... Germanys 'PLACE IN THE…