Chapter One: Britain and Germany: The Myth of Rivalry
German diplomatic methods reinforced the British sense of being blackmailed. Grey was more interesting in maintaining the prestige of the Entent than with promotnig a peaceful relation with Berlin.
Crowe's Memorandum of 1/1/07: examined list of Anglo-German disputes and argued that German policy was dominated by hostility towards Britain and a "disregard to for the elementary rules of straightforward and honourable dealing." The only answer to the German challenge was a reassertion of Britain's traditional balance of power policy. (which we read about in the reading about Austria-Hungary) The memorandum was clear and logical and had a deep understanding of past history and present danger.
Grey firmly believed in the German threat. He was afraid of continental isolation. This gave the French a powerful diplomatic weapon.
The Anglo-German Naval Rivalry
Early in the rivalry the Germans refused to discuss the naval question, even at conferences proclaimed for that very purpose. During the years between 1908 and 1912, the naval rivalry dominated all relations between Britain and Germany.
The British responded to the amended Naval law (Nov 1907) with the Fisher reforms, which forced the Germans to prepare for a British preventative strike.
The new Chancellor in Germany was "anxious to make a new approach to the British to settle outstanding differences and to negotiate both a naval arrangement and a neutrality pact between the two countries." This increased the British belief that the German naval plans were a form of elaborate blackmail.
In 1909 Bethmann-Hollweg proposed that the two nations commence negotiatinos for a political and naval agreement. The next two years were full of fruitless effort which failed to produce an agreement and also created more tension between the two nations.
Most agreed that the aim of Germany in the negotiations was to destroy the Triple Entente and isolate France as much as possible.
The Question of Economic Competition
The fleet rivalry was the strongest issue that divided the two countries. Germany had a second round industrial revolution, which England had a first, so the German products were cheaper and more efficiently made. Britain had the lead in international investment. The Foreign Office left merchants alone to conduct their own business and often blurred the line between trade and politics.
The German demand for a "place in the sun" always seemed artificial. "Some aspects of the Anglo-German rivalry were exaggerated by those who believed in its existance."
Chapter 4: Britain and Russia: The Troubled Relationship
Britain and Russia were the most important players in European politics during the 19th century. Because of the large ideological gulf between the two nations there was rampant Russophobia in Britain. There were efforts to expel the Russophobia by academics, but the political struggle remained between the two nations.
1902: Anglo-Japanese Alliance
1905: Russo-Japanese War
After Russo-Japanese War Izvolskii was willing to create some sort of treaty with Britain. The focus of the Anglo-Russia relations were Persia and the Balkans. Grey wanted to see a strong Russia, but not a Russia willing to threaten Britain's position overseas. Much of the deterioration in Anglo-Russian relations was due to the improvement in Russia's military situation.
From 1904-1914, the relations of the two nations improved from veiled hostility to wary friendship.
Chapter 5: Britain, Germany, and France, 1912-1914: Flexibility and Constraint
After the Agadir Crisis many members of the British parliament wanted to have another go at Anglo-German repproachment. In 1909, Haldane visited Germany and was presented with a draft by the Chancellor. It was denied. A British responsive draft was denited on March 19. It was not the foreign office which blocked the agreement, but the fundamental incompatibility between the British and German governments.
The two nations remained hostile with conflicting goals in mind. Churchill suggested a naval holiday in 1913. The British had won the naval race.
France and The Anglo-French Naval Exchanges, 1912
Grey had to prove to France that British discussions with Germany were not going to destroy the Anglo-French Entente.
The French let the British use some of their boats. This made Britain have to create a positive statement about what the British would do in the defence of France if a war were to break out.
Detente with Germany: The Anglo-German Portuguese Treaties
In 1913, Britain gave Germany some colonial land in Portugal, but the colonial issue "could no lnoger reshape European relationships."
The Baghdad Railway Negotiations 1912-1914
The same conclusion was met as was in Portugal. The Treaty of 1914 settled one fo the few concrete issues which divided London and Berlin, but this was not enough to solve their ideological differences.
