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'''Kaiser Wilhelm II''' (27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941) was king of [[Prussia]] and  [[Germany|German]] emperor from June 1888 to November 1918. He fled to the Netherlands at the end of [[World War I]].

'''Kaiser Wilhelm II''' (27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941) was king of [[Prussia]] and  [[Germany|German]] emperor from June 1888 to November 1918. He fled to the Netherlands at the end of [[World War I]].

Wilhelm was a constitutional monarch and shared power with an elected parliament, or Reichstag. However, the Kaiser had the final say on all significant matters, including appointments.<ref name=rohl2>Röhl, p. xviii</ref> His supporters boasted that he was the "mightiest ruler on earth."<ref name=rohl1>Röhl, John C. G., [https://books.google.com/books?id=FN9GAgAAQBAJ&dq= Wilhelm II: Into the Abyss of War and Exile, 1900–1941] (2014), p. xxvii.</ref> His views were particularly influential in foreign affairs and on matters of war and peace.

Wilhelm was a constitutional monarch and shared power with an elected parliament, or Reichstag. However, the Kaiser had the final say on all significant matters, including appointments.<ref name=rohl18>Röhl, John C. G., [https://books.google.com/books?id=FN9GAgAAQBAJ&dq= Wilhelm II: Into the Abyss of War and Exile, 1900–1941] (2014), p. xxviii.</ref> His supporters boasted that he was the "mightiest ruler on earth."<ref name=rohl17>Röhl, p. xxvii.</ref> His views were particularly influential in foreign affairs and on matters of war and peace.

Victoria, the Kaiser mother and the eldest child of Britain's Queen Victoria, was a dominating figure in his early life. She attempted to indoctrinate him with the values of Britain's nineteenth century Liberal Party. As as result, Wilhelm had conflicted feelings regarding Britain. He respected British values, but used militarism to overcompensate for his mother's un-Germanic influence. He was also a manic depressive, which resulted in inconsistent and erratic decision making. Wilhelm was easily entranced by conspiracy theories and was libel to blame foreign policy setbacks on the machinations of his uncle, King Edward VII of Britain.

Victoria, the Kaiser's mother and the eldest child of Britain's Queen Victoria, was a dominating figure in his early life. She attempted to indoctrinate him with the values of Britain's nineteenth century Liberal Party. As as result, Wilhelm had conflicted feelings regarding Britain. He respected British values, but felt the need to use militarism to compensate for his mother's un-Germanic influence. He was also a manic depressive, which resulted in inconsistent and erratic decision making. His withered left arm, a congenital defect, led to an inferiority complex.<ref name=stemple>Lewis-Stempel, John, "[http://www.express.co.uk/news/world-war-1/471409/When-Kaiser-Wilhelm-II-ruled-Germany Lunatic in charge of an asylum: When Kaiser Wilhelm II ruled Germany]", ''Sunday Express'', Apr 20, 2014</ref> Wilhelm was easily entranced by conspiracy theories and was libel to blame foreign policy setbacks on the machinations of his uncle, King Edward VII of Britain.

World War I was fought between Germany and the Allied Powers of France, Russia, and Britain and lasted from 1914 to 1918. When German submarines blockaded Britain and attacked neutral shipping in 1917, the United States declared war as well. The war was the most significant event of Wilhelm's reign. It ended in a catastrophic defeat for Germany, and over 4.2 million Germans were killed. Wilhelm's role in launching the war is much debated.

World War I was fought between Germany and the Allied Powers of France, Russia, and Britain and lasted from 1914 to 1918. When German submarines blockaded Britain and attacked neutral shipping in 1917, the United States declared war as well. The war was the most significant event of Wilhelm's reign. It ended in a catastrophic defeat for Germany, and over 4.2 million Germans were killed. Wilhelm's role in launching the war is much debated.

===''Weltpolitik'' and the naval buildup===

===''Weltpolitik'' and naval rivalry===

Wilhelm pursued an aggressive foreign policy known as ''Weltpolitik,'' literally "world policy." This strategy is to be distinguished from Bismark's ''Realpolitik'', which emphasized the "balance of power" concept. Wilhelm hoped to persuade Britain to withdraw from European affairs. If he could accomplish this, he imagined that Germany's economic and military power would allow him to dominate both France and Russia, allowing him to emerge with a "Napoleanic supremacy."<ref name=rohl2 /> Mindful of the role the British played in Napolean's downfall, he built up the German navy hoping that this would intimidate Britain. The British countered with a naval buildup of their own and by forming a "Triple Entente" (1907) with France and Russia. Thus the German buildup had an effect opposite to what was intended.

Wilhelm pursued an aggressive foreign policy known as ''Weltpolitik,'' literally "world policy." This strategy is to be distinguished from Bismark's ''Realpolitik'', which emphasized the "balance of power" concept. Wilhelm hoped to persuade Britain to withdraw from European affairs. If he could accomplish this, he imagined that Germany's economic and military power would dominate both France and Russia, allowing him to emerge with a "Napoleanic supremacy."<ref name=rohl18 /> Mindful of the role the British played in Napolean's downfall, he built up the German navy hoping that this would intimidate Britain. The British countered with a naval buildup of their own and by forming a "Triple Entente" (1907) with France and Russia. Thus the German buildup had an effect opposite to what was intended.

===Role in launching World War I===

===Role in launching World War I===

The collapse of the Russian army in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 allowed Germany to pursue a more aggressive foreign policy. In the years that followed, Wilhelm repeatedly pushed Europe to the brink of war. The Bosnian crisis of 1908-1909 was followed by the Agadir crisis of 1911 and by the Balkan crisis of 1912-1913. As a constitutional monarch, Wilhelm did not take the initiative on any of these occasions. Instead, he responded to proposals put to him by his advisors.<ref name=rohl /> German public opinion was generally opposed to war until 1911, when Britain's intervention in the Agadir crisis fueled a wave of Anglophobia. The idea that war was inevitable became conventional wisdom and the Kaiser's reluctance began to look quaint, even to his own advisors.

The collapse of the Russian army in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 allowed Germany to pursue a more aggressive foreign policy. In the years that followed, Wilhelm repeatedly pushed Europe to the brink of war. The Bosnian crisis of 1908-1909 was followed by the Agadir crisis of 1911 and by the Balkan crisis of 1912-1913. As a constitutional monarch, Wilhelm did not take the initiative on any of these occasions. Instead, he responded to proposals put to him by his advisors.<ref name=rohl18 /> German public opinion was generally opposed to war until 1911, when Britain's intervention in the Agadir crisis fueled a wave of Anglophobia. The idea that war was inevitable became conventional wisdom and the Kaiser's reluctance began to look quaint, even to his own advisors.

In November 1912, Wilhelm approved a proposal to support Austria-Hungary against Serbia even if this led to war with both France and Russia. This proposal was presented to the Kaiser jointly by Bethmann Hollweg, the chancellor; Moltke, the army chief of staff; and Kiderlen, the foreign secretary. In December, the Kaiser was informed that Britain would likely side with France in the event of such a war. The Kaiser responded by ordering a "postponement of the great fight" until the summer of 1914 so that additional preparations could be made.<ref name=rohl>Röhl, p. xxviii</ref> A meeting of the German Imperial War Council on December 8, 1912 was identified by German historian Fritz Fischer as the decisive moment when the imperial government finally resolved upon war.<ref>Fischer, Fritz, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=wIE5mgEACAAJ&dq= Germany's Aims in the First World War]'', W. W. Norton, 1968.</ref>

In November 1912, Wilhelm approved a proposal to support Austria-Hungary against Serbia even if this led to war with both France and Russia. This proposal was presented to the Kaiser jointly by Bethmann Hollweg, the chancellor; Moltke, the army chief of staff; and Kiderlen, the foreign secretary. In December, the Kaiser was informed that Britain would likely side with France in the event of such a war. The Kaiser responded by ordering a "postponement of the great fight" until the summer of 1914 so that additional preparations could be made.<ref name=rohl18 /> A meeting of the German Imperial War Council on December 8, 1912 was identified by German historian Fritz Fischer as the decisive moment when the imperial government resolved upon war.<ref name=rohl18 /> There were only five men in the room when the decision was made.<ref name=stemple />

In August 1913, a war credit act past the Reichstag, creating a financial basis for the coming war. By this time, war fever in Germany had grown so intense that all major parties, even the supposedly pacific Social Democrats, voted for the bill. The murder of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand triggered a final diplomatic crisis in July 1914. When he realized that the British intended to side with the French after all, Wilhelm attempted to reverse course. His last minute change of heart proved to be too little, too late.<ref name=rohl2 />

In June 1913, the Reichstag approved a dramatic expansion of the army.<ref>The army was expanded from 544,000 soldiers to 870,000. It was the largest expansion since 1871.</ref> In the autumn, the Reichstag made a brief, futile stand against the onrush of militarism in an episode called the Zabern Affair.<ref>On December 4, 1913, the Reichstag voted no confidence in Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg by a vote of 293 to 54.</ref> However, army expansion was confirmed when the annual budget was passed on December 9. The murder of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand triggered a final diplomatic crisis in July 1914. When he realized that the British intended to side with the French after all, Wilhelm attempted to reverse course. His last minute change of heart proved to be too little, too late.<ref name=rohl18 />

===Later years===

===Later years===