Aims+of+German+foreign+policy+(1870-1914)

> > **//__ Foreign Policy Aims of Germany under __//**//__ **Wilhelm II:** __//
 * //__ Foreign Policy Aims of Germany under __//****//__ Bismarck: __//**
 * Not interested in colonies (territory expansion)
 * Alliance with Great Britain
 * o Great Britain - biggest and most powerful navy in Europe
 * Balance of Power
 * Balance power in Europe by **allying with monarchical states**, such as Austria, England or Russia
 * ** Keep France from becoming strong enough ** to take revenge for the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) defeat and to take back Alsace-Lorraine
 * Stability
 * Keep peace with Russia and Austria
 * o League of the Three Emperors
 * § If war breaks out between Russia and Austria, Germany would have to be involved
 * o The Dual Alliance
 * § Alliance between Germany and Austria
 * o The Reinsurance Treaty
 * § Secret alliance between Germany and Russia
 * Bismarck basically allied Germany with the top powers in Europe to hold Germany’s powerful position in Europe and to make sure that France would be isolated from the top powers of Europe (so France won’t have a powerful ally to rely on when they take revenge on Germany for the Franco-Prussian War)
 * Bismarck basically allied Germany with the top powers in Europe to hold Germany’s powerful position in Europe and to make sure that France would be isolated from the top powers of Europe (so France won’t have a powerful ally to rely on when they take revenge on Germany for the Franco-Prussian War)
 * Different from Bismarck - Germany needs its “place in the sun “
 * Expand territory - colonies
 * o In order to do so (get colonies), Germany needed its own navy
 * § Break alliance with the British
 * § Wilhelm hungry for big German navy
 * Wilhelm’s eagerness to build powerful navy led to rivalry against the British (naval arms race)
 * “Become more influential among its European neighbors and to amass a colonial empire”
 * o One of the causes of Germany participating in the Great War
 * Globally increase Germany’s power and wealth