The failed Anglo-German alliance talks and the Entente Cordiale show that prewar alignments were more complicated than simple alliance switches. Britain had explored Germany as a partner, but German negotiators wanted a relationship in which their rising power would dominate rather than an alliance of equals. The Russo-Japanese War exposed the danger that France's Russian alliance and Britain's Japanese alliance could pull the two western powers into a conflict neither wanted, encouraging them to settle outstanding disputes. Britain still distrusted Russia enough to keep the French agreement short of a binding alliance, especially while Russian ambitions toward Afghanistan threatened the buffer protecting India. Avoiding Belgium could deny Britain its clearest public reason for immediate war, but it would not remove every strategic pressure.
Notable Point · 17:00-20:42
The Entente left Britain room to choose
A diplomatic section explains why Britain might avoid an automatic war even after years of improving relations with France.