How would an Anglo-German alliance in 1880 change the Franco-Russian navies?
Short answerFrance and Russia would face a much stronger strategic combination, while Germany might have less reason to fund a navy that competed with its army.
NotesAn 1880 Anglo-German alliance would combine Europe's largest navy with one of its strongest armies. British sea power would secure Germany's maritime flank and could move German forces around France, weakening the encirclement logic behind Franco-Russian planning. A durable alliance could also reduce the strategic case for a large German navy, since army leaders would resist spending that competed with their own budget. If the partnership reached the suggested 25-year mark, the panel expects it to alter the conditions that produced the First World War.