Changes

Wilhelm's foreign policy aimed at "Napoleanic supremacy" over France and Russia. In the kaiser's view, Napoleon'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.

Wilhelm's foreign policy aimed at "Napoleanic supremacy" over France and Russia. In the kaiser's view, Napoleon'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.

The focus of German attention shifted from the navy to the army following the Agadir Crisis of 1911. The Reichstag approved army expansion in July 1913. The army treated this vote as a mandate to prepare for war. The "Schlieffen Plan," prepared by the German General Staff, called for an invasion of France by way of Belgium.

The focus of German military shifted from the navy to the army following the Agadir Crisis of 1911. The Reichstag approved army expansion in July 1913. The army treated this vote as a mandate to prepare for war. The General Staff focused its work on a plan to invade France by way of Belgium.

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.

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.