Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 3:59:10-4:01:00

A German naval cutback could loosen the Entente

A new Kaiser who curtailed naval construction around 1910 could accept a British accommodation and weaken the diplomatic alignment against Germany, though Belgium remains a red line.

Anglo German Naval Arms RaceEntente CordialeGerman NavyRoyal NavyWorld War I
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Question

What changes if Wilhelm II dies around 1908-1910 and his successor cuts naval spending in favor of the army?

Short answer

Britain and Germany might reach a naval accommodation that weakens the Entente, provided Germany still respects Belgian neutrality.

Notes

A Wilhelm III who cut naval spending around 1910 could remove a major source of Anglo-German hostility. In the proposed accommodation, Britain would leave continental Europe alone while Germany stopped trying to build a navy that challenged it. British frustration with Russian pressure around India could then help loosen the Entente. Belgian neutrality would remain an exception. Its importance is explained through the possibility of launching an invasion of Britain from that part of the continental coast, alongside the legal agreements invoked during the exchange.