Changes

Wilhelm's foreign policy aimed at "Napoleanic supremacy" over France and Russia. In the kaiser's view, Napolean's mistake was to go to war with Britain, something he hoped to avoid. Wilhelm had great enthusiasm for naval matters, and Germany began building a high seas fleet in 1900. The kaiser hoped that this fleet would intimidate Britain into severing its alliance with France. He realized that this approach was not effective in 1911 when the British intervened in the Agadir Crisis in support of French interests. Provoked by the British intervention, the military and the right-wing parties began to agitate in favor of a military solution. The Reichstag approved army expansion in July 1913. Treating this vote as a mandate, the General Staff adopted the "Schlieffen Plan" to invade France by way of Belgium as Germany's sole war plan.

Wilhelm's foreign policy aimed at "Napoleanic supremacy" over France and Russia. In the kaiser's view, Napolean's mistake was to go to war with Britain, something he hoped to avoid. Wilhelm had great enthusiasm for naval matters, and Germany began building a high seas fleet in 1900. The kaiser hoped that this fleet would intimidate Britain into severing its alliance with France. He realized that this approach was not effective in 1911 when the British intervened in the Agadir Crisis in support of French interests. Provoked by the British intervention, the military and the right-wing parties began to agitate in favor of a military solution. The Reichstag approved army expansion in July 1913. Treating this vote as a mandate, the General Staff adopted the "Schlieffen Plan" to invade France by way of Belgium as Germany's sole war plan.

The assassination of Austro-Hungarian Archduke [[Franz Ferdinand]] in Sarajevo in July 1914 led to a European diplomatic crisis. The planned invasion of Belgium and France was launched in early August, triggering [[World War I]]. The British were outraged by the invasion of neutral Belgium. They responded with a declaration of war against Germany, as well as full military support for the Belgians and French. Wilhelm's desire to establish a German naval base in Antwerp was an obstacle to later proposals that aimed at a negotiated peace settlement.

The assassination of Austro-Hungarian Archduke [[Franz Ferdinand]] in Sarajevo in July 1914 led to a European diplomatic crisis. The planned invasion of Belgium and France was launched in early August, triggering [[World War I]]. The British were outraged by the invasion of neutral Belgium. They responded with a declaration of war against Germany, as well as full military support for the Belgians and French. Wilhelm's desire to establish a German naval base in Antwerp was an obstacle to later proposals that aimed at a negotiated settlement.

For several years, fighting remained deadlocked as trench warfare continued across northern France. After German submarines blockaded Britain and attacked neutral shipping in February 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. When Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg resigned in July 1917, political power passed from the kaiser to the army high command under Ludendorff. In November 1918, the war ended in a catastrophic defeat for Germany. By that time, over 4.2 million Germans had been killed. Wilhelm fled to the Netherlands and lived in exile until 1941.

For several years, fighting remained deadlocked as trench warfare continued across northern France. After German submarines blockaded Britain and attacked neutral shipping in February 1917, the United States declared war on Germany. When Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg resigned in July 1917, political power passed from the kaiser to the army high command under Ludendorff. In November 1918, the war ended in a catastrophic defeat for Germany. By that time, over 4.2 million Germans had been killed. Wilhelm fled to the Netherlands and lived in exile until 1941.