Weltpolitik

=**Weltpolitik** = Within 365 (really 180) days of ascending the throne, William II used it and embarked on "personal government" and a "New Course" of supposedly "popular" policies. Weltpolitik was an extension of Kaiser Wilhelm II’s “New Course” policy, in foreign policy.The policies of “weltpolitik” replaced the foreign policy of Bismarck’s “realpolitik” Foreign policy after about 1890, which represented Emperor Wilhelm II's attempt to make Germany into a world power through an aggressive foreign policy on colonies

**Weltpolitik**  (‘world policy’) A term used to describe Germany's aggressive and expansive foreign policy through the acquisition of colonies and the building of a navy from 1884 to 1918, in order to placate the demands from heavy industry for a greater navy and to generate national pride amongst dissatisfied working classes. However, there is little evidence that it was successful, particularly in the latter aim.

JAN PALMOWSKI. " [|__Weltpolitik.__] " __A Dictionary of Contemporary World History__ . 2004. //Encyclopedia.com?>,;,m lk,..-=-o0-i-0jk0ói.//  10 Feb. 2011< [|__http://www.encyclopedia.com__] >.

===** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wilhelm II’s "New Course" expressed itself in foreign affairs in a boisterous jostling for what was termed Germany's rightful "place in the sun." The argument was that since it was no longer just Europe but the entire globe that provided the scene for the rivalry of the powers, Germany too must have a "world policy" ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Weltpolitik// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). Under the guidance of Bülow and Friedrich von Holstein, a foreign office adviser, Germany pursued minor colonial goals in Africa and the Far East and elsewhere. It also assumed the protection of the declining Ottoman Empire( Turkish empire) and sponsored the construction of a Berlin-Baghdad railroad. ** === ===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apart from the German interest in Turkey, which was resented by Russia, most of these endeavors did not greatly concern the other European powers. However, in order to increase German credibility as a world power, the country also embarked on a program of building up its military, and particularly its naval, forces. As in the past, the increase in military strength had political repercussions. But whereas Bismarck had never yielded the political initiative to the generals, his weak successors placed no limitation on the will of the military. This was to have disastrous results both at home and abroad. ** ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify; white-space: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simon, W. M. "Germany: History—North German Confederation and German Empire (1866–1918)." <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Encyclopedia Americana.// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Grolier Online, 2011. Web. 10 Feb. 2011.

A popular buzz-word in Germany at this time is <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">//Weltpolitik// <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">('world politics'), meaning that the nation must assert itself on the international stage in order to claim its 'place in the sun' (another current phrase). To this end much pride is placed in the plan devised by Admiral von Tirpitz to provide the nation with a High Seas Fleet to match the naval forces of Britain. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Read more: <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat; color: #003399; cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; padding-right: 10px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[|http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=aa01#ixzz1DYQrq5Ot]