Encirclement



 1916 Cartoon published in Britain, courtesy of __[|Google Images]__ **Otto von Bismarck's Diplomacy** After securing his goal of a united German Empire in the late 1800s, German Imperial Chancellor [|Otto von Bismarck] began establishing a network of diplomatic relations in Europe to keep Germany away from aggressive forces. However, simultaneous with the Kaiser's dismissal of Bismarck, the ideal of Weltpolitik gained momentum among German government as they advocated for becoming a dominant world power. Bismarck's diplomacy had alienated France somewhat, but the other major European powers recognized the need to leave no room for complete German domination in Europe and thus were sympathetic to France. The power-seeking mentality of the inchoate German Empire allowed the intricate workings of Bismarck to fall away. Issues in the Balkan region helped to further disintegrate the complex relationships. The Kaiser chose not to renew the 1887 [|Reinsurance Treaty] with Russia, but did maintain the Triple Alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy. The alliance with Italy was weak in the years preceding the war, thus the alliance with Austria-Hungary remained the only reliable European alliance for Germany[|1].

**German Industrial Growth and "The German Question"** Germany had the third most industrial power in the world leading up to the war, with a 2:1 ratio of manufacture to agriculture laborers. Between 1875 and 1913, German coal and lignite production increased by 5-fold, pig iron production increased by 8-fold, and steel production increased by over 15-fold. [|1] The German Empire proved it could handle itself economically in Europe, surpassing even Britain in industrialization around the turn of the century. It seems that the other countries were more worried than envious in the years before the war, unsure of what might happen if Germany continued its power gain. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, a fervent supporter of Weltpolitik, was the main advocate of increasing the size of the Navy, and in March of 1898 the first Navy Law was passed, providing for building a German naval force tantamount to its army force. Great Britain did not think she was under any imminent threat, but felt it necessary to slow Germany's progress for the sake of France. First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, and War Secretary Richard Haldane took measures to encourage Germany to do so in 1913-14. [|1]

**P******erceived Threat**** The press in Germany contributed to the hype, proclaiming that Germany was “encircled by a hostile coalition of envious powers”. This statement brings up two aspects of Germany’s perceived encirclement—that other nations joined specifically to be aggressive toward Germany, and that they were jealous of German’s increasing power. Nonetheless, Kaiser Wilhelm II—described by Grenville as not having “the strength to lead Germany in the right direction”—gave [|multiple speeches] in 1914 to encourage popular support for war, by saying things such as “envious rivals everywhere force us to legitimate defense. The sword has been forced into our hands”. The alliances were not necessarily indicative of the “hostile coalition” declared by the German press. France sought recovery of its territory Alsace-Lorraine, but knew it could not act on the offensive if it wanted to maintain support from Great Britain. French President Poincarè did extend France's alliance with Russia to include potential attack of Russia by Austria-Hungary supported by Germany, expanding the initial provisions of the 1894 treaty.[|1]

****Result of Feeling Encircled****

The complex agreements between countries meant that if one European power mobilized, everyone would mobilize. Carrying out the [|Schlieffen Plan], to first attack France then quickly move to attack Russia in a careful timetable, thus meant total mobilization on both sides. The initial declaration of war was Austria-Hungary's declaration on Serbia (28 July 1914). Two days later Russia declared that it would have to mobilize. The next day Germany issued an ultimatum to Russia, saying it would have to enact the Schlieffen Plan if Russia mobilized. On 1 August Germany declared war on Russia and sent an [|ultimatum] to Belgium justifying its plan to march through the neutral nation. The German government stated they “could not but fear that Belgium, in spite of its utmost goodwill, will be unable to repel so considerable a French invasion with sufficient prospect of success to afford an adequate guarantee against danger to Germany.”[|3] This after indicating that “reliable information” was given to the German government informing that France planned to march through Belgium. The fear manifested itself in actions such as the Schlieffen Plan, enacted even though it was a grave violation of international law and Belgian neutrality, and the press coverage of the "encirclement" meant popular support in Germany. Ultimately Germany's goals to gain power made other European powers concerned about maintaining peace in Europe and thus made alliances, and Germany's reactions to the perceived hostilities escalated the situation. The actions Germany took that did fuel World War I resulted in a clause in the [|Treaty of Versailles] forcing Germany to take some responsibility for the conflict.  

Works Cited Duffy, Michael. "First World War.com - Feature Articles - The Causes of World War One." //First World War.com - A Multimedia History of World War One//. 22 Aug. 2009. Web. 17 Dec. 2010. <http://www.firstworldwar.com/origins/causes.htm>." <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Germany: History--Age of Nationalism; World War and Defeat." //Encyclopedia.// //World News Digest//. Facts On File News Services, n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2010. <[]> <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> A History of the World in the 20th Century. Enlarged. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press, 2000. 9, 18-43. <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">[|?], Frank. The Origins of the First and Second World Wars. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2001. <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">. The National Archives. The National Archives. Web. 17 Dec. 2010. <[]>.

<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Further Reading: <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Lecture Notes on Germany 1871-1945: [] <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The Alliance System: [] (Includes video showing the progression of alliances.) <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Domestic Causes of the First World War: [] (Deep analysis of the causes of the war.) <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Primary Sources from the years before the First World War: []