Lesson video

Hello, welcome to history here at Oak National Academy.

My name's Mr. Newton, and I'll be your teacher today guiding you through the entire lesson.

Right, let's get started.

In the decades leading up to the First World War, Germany was a rising power in Europe.

Since unifying in 1871, it had grown into an industrial heavyweight, confident, ambitious, and determined to catch up with older empires like Britain and France.

Under the leadership of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany began to look beyond Europe's borders.

The government argued that like other great powers, Germany deserved its share of overseas colonies and international influence, what they called their place in the sun.

But this raises an important question.

What does a country actually need in order to build and keep an empire? For Wilhelm and his advisors, the answer was clear.

Germany needed a powerful navy.

In today's lesson, we're going to explore how Germany's pursuit of naval power through dramatic laws, mass propaganda, and public enthusiasm transformed not only its global ambitions, but also its politics, its economy, and its relationship with Britain.

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to explain why the Navy Laws were so significant in Germany before the First World War.

Before we begin, there are a few keywords that we need to understand.

Colonies are the overseas territories controlled by a more powerful country.

Weltpolitik, meaning world policy, was Germany's plan to expand overseas and achieve global power status.

And a navy is a country's military force at sea, including warships and related personnel.

Nationalism is the belief that people who share the same language, culture, history, or ethnicity should unite in one country.

Many believe this would create greater unity, strength, and harmony within the nation.

And finally, militarism is the belief that a strong military and military values should dominate society and government.

Today's lesson is called Germany's Naval Ambitions Before the First World War, and the lesson is split into three parts.

We'll start by looking at Kaiser Wilhelm II's quest for overseas colonies, how this vision for a global German empire marked a major shift from earlier policy, and what this tells us about Germany's changing identity as a world power.

Then we'll move on to the Navy Laws and naval expansion.

This part of the lesson focuses on how Germany set out to build a navy to match its ambitions and how that naval program was promoted, funded, and justified.

Finally, we'll look at the costs and consequences of this expansion, not just in terms of money, but also the political tensions it created at home and abroad, especially with Britain.

Right, let's start the lesson with Kaiser Wilhelm II's quest for overseas colonies.

In the years before the First World War, Germany was a restless giant.

The nation had only been unified since 1871, but already, its industrial might was rivaling that of Britain and France.

Much of this early stability and power was achieved under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, who had carefully managed Germany's rise to avoid unsettling Europe too much.

He was reluctant to seek a grand overseas empire, though under domestic pressure, he eventually accepted a few colonies late in his career.

However, Germany soon moved from cautious leadership to Kaiser Wilhelm II's bold Weltpolitik, aiming for colonies overseas.

When the Kaiser took the throne in 1888, his ambitions were far broader than Bismarck's careful diplomacy.

Impulsive and restless, the Kaiser looked across the seas and yearned for Germany to take its place alongside the other great empires.

The Kaiser often spoke of his Weltpolitik, a bold plan to turn Germany into an empire with overseas colonies.

Britain's empire stretched across every ocean.

Even Portugal held territories overseas.

German leaders assured other powers there was no cause for alarm.

They claimed they did not wish to overshadow other powers, only to secure their fair share of colonies and prestige, their place in the sun, as foreign minister Bernhard von Bulow famously put it in 1897.

In reality, this meant seizing and defending overseas territories, which required one crucial tool: a modern, powerful navy.

Let's take a look at the image on the left.

It's a political cartoon from 1898.

What message do you think the artist is trying to send about these foreign powers? How does this image reflect Germany's new approach under Kaiser Wilhelm II, especially his idea of Weltpolitik? The cartoon shows several world leaders gathered around a table, and on that table is a pie representing China.

You can see each leader eyeing the country like it's something to be divided, each wanting to carve out their slice of the pipe.

On the far left, we see Queen Victoria of Britain and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany.

The two appear to be squabbling over a slice of land to carve out.

Wilhelm thrusts his knife into the map, a clear symbol of Germany's aggressive ambitions under his foreign policy of Weltpolitik.

Around them sit other key powers, France, Russia, and Japan, each carefully plotting their own chair.

And in the background, we can see a Chinese official throwing up his arms in protest, but he's powerless to stop what's happening.

And this figure represents China's real position during this period, vulnerable to the imperialist ambitions of stronger nations.

This was an intense period of empire-building, and strong nations took advantage of the weaker nations.

The cartoon doesn't show a real event.

It's figurative, designed to comment on how powerful nations were treating China as something to be claimed and controlled.

And for Wilhelm, this was exactly the point.

He didn't want Germany left out.

He believed Germany deserved an empire of its own, just like Britain and France.

And this cartoon captures the heart of that ambition, Germany forcing its way to the table, demanding recognition, territory, and prestige on the world stage.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Complete this sentence with the correct missing word.

Much of Germany's early stability and power came under Chancellor Otto von, blank, who had carefully calculated a rise to influence that did not unsettle Europe too much.

Pause the video, fill in the blank, and then come right back.

Okay.

Welcome back.

Let's see how that sentence should have read.

Much of Germany's early stability and power came under Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, who had carefully calculated a rise to influence that did not unsettle Europe too much.

What was the main aim of Kaiser Wilhelm II's Weltpolitik? A, to create a European trade union; B, to end rivalries between colonial powers; C, to turn Germany into an empire of overseas colonies.

Pause the video, have a think, and then come right back.

Okay.

Welcome back.

And well done If you knew the correct answer was C, to turn Germany into an empire with overseas colonies.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to task A.

What I want you to do here is, working with your partner, discuss the following questions.

What was Germany like before Kaiser Wilhelm II took the throne? And question number two, what did Kaiser Wilhelm II want for Germany when he became Kaiser? So use knowledge you've gained from the lesson so far to have a quick discussion, or jot down some ideas on a piece of paper and answer those questions.

Pause the video, have a go at the task, and then come right back.

Okay.

Welcome back.

And well done for having a go at that task.

So there's many things that you may have discussed, but you may have discussed some of the following.

So for the first question, what was Germany like before Kaiser Wilhelm II took the throne, you may have said something like, Germany had only been unified since 1871, but was already rivaling Britain and France industrially.

Could have also said that Chancellor Otto von Bismarck kept foreign policy cautious to avoid upsetting other European powers.

And finally, you could have said that Bismarck could not actively seek a large overseas empire, though he accepted a few colonies late in his career under pressure.

Okay, let's now move on to question two.

What did Kaiser Wilhelm II want for Germany when he became Kaiser? And you could have said that Wilhelm wanted Germany to match the overseas empires of Britain and France and that he had a foreign policy known as Weltpolitik, which aimed to gain colonies and prestige.

And this was often phrased as a place in the sun, and this phrase showed Germany's desire for equal status among world powers.

And finally, a strong navy was needed to seize and defend colonies.

So a strong navy would be instrumental to this Weltpolitik policy.

Great, now that we've looked at Wilhelm's ambitions and his desire for a global empire, let's turn to how those ambitions were turned into action.

It's one thing to talk about building an empire, but actually protecting overseas colonies and gaining influence required more than speeches and slogans.

For Wilhelm, that meant ships, powerful modern warships that would rival Britain's Royal Navy and defend Germany's new global role.

So let's move on to the Navy Laws and naval expansion.

Kaiser Wilhelm, inspired by Britain's mighty Royal Navy, sought to build German warships to rival it and secure an overseas empire.

So the Kaiser had been raised in a culture of military glory.

His father and grandfather were both Prussian soldiers, and the army's polished boots and gleaming swords had always impressed him.

Yet, Wilhelm was fascinated by another kind of power: ships.

As a young man, he had visited Britain and been dazzled by the sites of the Royal Navy's vast battleships, their gray hulls looming over the docks like floating fortresses.

The Royal Navy was the largest in the world and a key part of Britain's global empire.

Wilhelm wanted Germany to follow the same path.

He saw a powerful navy as the essential tool for building and protecting an overseas empire, just as Britain had done.

And to him, an empire was nothing without warships to defend it.

And he aimed to create a battle fleet capable of standing alongside and eventually confronting the Royal Navy.

The goal was both military and political.

It would strengthen Germany's position in negotiations over colonies and force Britain to recognize German power.

Have a look on the image on the left.

This photograph shows HMS Dreadnought, a British battleship launched in 1906.

At the time, it was the most powerful warship in the world, faster, stronger, and more heavily armed than anything that had come before.

The Dreadnoughts completely transformed naval warfare.

It made earlier battleships look outdated almost overnight.

Why do you think a ship like the Dreadnought might have made Germany feel threatened? The Dreadnought triggered a race among the world's great powers to match Britain's new standard.

For Kaiser Wilhelm, ships like this were more than just military tools.

They were a symbol of national power and pride.

He believed that the Germany wanted to build and protect an overseas empire, it needed a navy strong enough to rival the Royal Navy and to rival their formidable Dreadnoughts.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Why did Kaiser Wilhelm II want to build a modern, powerful navy? Select three correct answers.

A, to build and defend Germany's overseas empire; B, to confront and rival the British Royal Navy; C, to replace the Prussian army as Germany's main military force; D, to strengthen Germany's position in colonial negotiations.

Pause the video, have a think, and then come right back.

Okay.

Welcome back.

And well done if you knew the correct answers were A, to build and defend Germany's overseas empire, B, to confront and rival the British Royal Navy, and D, to strengthen Germany's position in colonial negotiations.

Okay, let's continue.

So to build a navy capable of challenging Britain, Wilhelm and his naval chief, Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, needed the approval of the Reichstag to fund the construction.

However, the Kaiser's navy plans faced fierce battles in the Reichstag.

The parliament was sharply divided.

Social democrats resisted vast military spending, while traditionalist politicians accused them of weakening national strength.

Some groups who wanted Germany to become a stronger and more powerful nation also sought to weaken the social democrats' influence and reduce the power of parliament.

In other words, they saw the social democrats and parliament as getting in the way of the Kaiser's navy plans.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Why did Wilhelm and Admiral Tirpitz face difficulties getting the Reichstag to approve naval expansion? A, social Democrats opposed high military spending; B, the Kaiser refused to support the plan; C, traditionalists wanted to abolish the navy entirely.

Pause the video, have a think, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back.

And well done if you knew the correct answer was A, social democrats opposed high military spending.

So faced with a parliament in deadlock, Tirpitz turns to the public.

His plan was simple but effective.

If ordinary Germans could be persuaded to see the navy as the protector of national honor, they would demand its expansion.

Then this public enthusiasm would in turn pressure political parties in the Reichstag to approve the necessary funds, even if they had previously opposed the plans.

To rally this support, Tirpitz, with backing from arms manufacturers like Krupp and encouragement from the government, helped found the Navy League.

Tirpitz used the Navy League to rally public support for ship-building, pressuring the Reichstag to approve naval expansion.

The Navy League was lavishly funded and expertly organized.

The League held rallies, printed pamphlets, and even influenced school lessons.

German children were taught that the navy was their pride and shield.

Model warships appeared in toy shops, and patriotic songs celebrated the navy.

On the left, we can see a postcard advertising the Navy League in 1902.

Why do you think propaganda like this postcard was important for Tirpitz's naval plans? On the postcard, you can see a warship sailing proudly above the Navy League's emblem, decorated in the colors of the German empire, and it gives off a strong, confident image, suggesting progress, power, and protection.

In the center is Prince Heinrich of Prussia, a prominent royal figure linked to the navy.

His image was used to give the league prestige and royal approval.

These kinds of materials were more than decoration.

They were tools of persuasion.

They helped stir national pride and encouraged ordinary Germans to support the idea of a powerful fleet.

Additionally, there's a handwritten message scrawled across the card, and it isn't just a friendly greeting.

The note is actually a call for donations to the Navy League, and this demonstrates how deeply they try to involve ordinary people in their campaign for naval power.

The Navy League became one of the largest mass organizations in the country, boasting millions of members from all sections of society.

The public rallied behind its vision of German ships dominating the seas and protecting the nation's honor.

The navy became more than a military project.

It was a symbol of unity for the young nation, a mark of prestige and a declaration of Germany's growing role on the world stage.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Which three of the following describe the main roles of the Navy League? A, creating public enthusiasm through rallies, pamphlets, and education; B, linking the Navy to national honor and prestige; C, operating shipyards and constructing battleships; D, pressuring the Reichstag to approve naval expansion.

Pause the video, have a think, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back, and well done if you think the correct answers were A, creating public enthusiasm through rallies, pamphlets, and education; B, linking the Navy to national honor and prestige; and D, pressuring the Reichstag to approve naval expansion.

So with public opinion firmly behind them, the Kaiser and Tirpitz passed a series of navy laws that transformed Germany's navy into one of the world's largest.

The first Navy Law in 1898 authorized the huge expansion of Germany's warships.

Further laws in 1900, 1906, 1908, and 1912 accelerated the program until Germany's navy was one of the largest in the world.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Complete this sentence with the correct missing word.

With public opinion firmly behind them, a series of, blank, were passed, which authorized a huge expansion of Germany's warships, meaning its navy was one of the largest in the world.

Pause the video, fill in the blank, and then come right back.

Okay.

Welcome back.

And let's see how that sentence should have read.

With public opinion firmly behind them, a series of Navy Laws were passed, which authorized a huge expansion of Germany's warships, meaning its navy was one of the largest in the world.

Okay, let's move on to task B.

And what I want you to do here is, starting with the earliest, sort these events into time order.

And you can see there, I've given you four events, which are in a mixed-up order, and I want you to place them into their correct chronology.

Pause the video, have a go at the task, and then come right back.

Okay.

Welcome back.

And well done on having a go at that task.

So let's see what the correct time order was.

So the first event should be, Wilhelm was inspired by the Royal Navy during his visit to Britain and wanted Germany to have a navy like this.

And the second event, Wilhelm and Tirpitz faced Reichstag divisions over funding the Navy.

Therefore, Tirpitz helped found the Navy League to gain public support.

And this pressured the Reichstag to approve naval expansion.

And the final event then is a series of Navy Laws authorized major warship expansion.

And within a few years, Germany's Navy was one of the largest in the world.

Okay, great, so we've now seen how Wilhelm's ambitions and the Navy Laws led to rapid naval expansion, supported by public enthusiasm, political pressure, and a powerful propaganda campaign.

But building a world-class navy came at a cost and not just in terms of money.

In this final part of the lesson, we're going to explore what Germany's naval buildup actually cost the country both financially and politically.

Let's move into final section of the lesson, the costs and consequences of naval expansion.

So Kaiser Wilhelm's naval buildup initially won support but burdened Germany with huge costs and fueled a dangerous rivalry with Britain.

So initially, naval expansion was seen as part of the broader success story of Germany's rise since unification.

The shipyards in Kiel roared with activity, launching new warships into the Baltic.

The Kaiser was delighted.

His gleaming navy stood as a symbol of Germany's growing power.

Many deputies in the Reichstag supported him, at least for a time, but the cost was staggering.

Warships were enormously expensive, and each new Navy Law demanded more money.

And therefore, taxes were raised, and the government borrowed heavily to finance the expansion.

By the early 1910s, Germany was heavily in debt, a burden that would last for decades.

Supporting the Reichstag began to crumble as critics argued that the funds should be spent on social reform or the army.

Still, Wilhelm pressed on.

For him, the navy was essential not only for defending colonies, but for proving Germany's status as a great power.

However, each new German warship was an unspoken challenge to the British Royal Navy, further straining relations with Britain and deepening the rivalry that was becoming a defining feature of European politics.

Within only a few years, Europe would find itself engulfed in the First World War.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Which three of the following were outcomes of Germany's naval expansion before the First World War? A, increasing rivalry with Britain and its Royal Navy; B, rising national debts from military spending; C, the Kaiser initially gained support from deputies in the Reichstag; D, the Reichstag unanimously rejected a Navy law.

Pause the video, select your three correct answers, and then come right back.

Okay, welcome back, and well done if you knew the correct answers were A, increasing rivalry with Britain and its Royal Navy; B, rising national debt from military spending; and C, the Kaiser initially gained support from deputies in the Reichstag.

So Weltpolitik and the Navy Laws stirred powerful nationalism and militarism, but also exposed deep political divisions, cracks that the First World War would soon widen.

So by 1914, Germany's navy was formidable, although it should be noted, it was still smaller than Britain's.

Nonetheless, the Kaiser's Weltpolitik had reshaped the German nation.

Its industry was geared towards military production, its politics swayed by the ambition of empire, and its finances stretched thin.

The Navy Laws had stirred powerful currents of nationalism and militarism, but they had also exposed deep political divisions at home.

Have a look at the painting on the left.

This powerful image captures the growing divide in German society at this time.

On the left, we see Kaiser Wilhelm dressed in his military uniform, surrounded by members of the traditional ruling elite.

And on the right we can see angry workers and socialist revolutionaries demanding change.

These are people who feel unheard and are pushing for a radical shift in power.

So this image shows us that deep divide in German society at the time.

On one side were notions of strong leadership, nationalism, and militarism upheld by the Kaiser and the ruling elites.

On the other side were workers and socialists pushing for democratic change and greater representation.

All of these forces, militarism, nationalism, and demands for democracy, were swirling around inside Germany at the start of the 20th century.

It was a volatile concoction, one that would prove dangerous in the years to come.

Then in late June 1914, a gunshot in Sarajevo set in motion a chain of events that plunged Europe into war.

When the First World War began in August, Germany's great navy, built to project power across the globe, found itself tracked in its home ports, blockaded by the very Royal Navy it had been designed to challenge.

What would become of a nation so invested in global ambition if that ambition were shattered by defeat? The answer would shape the troubled course of Germany's future.

Okay, let's have a check for understanding.

Complete this sentence with the correct missing words.

Weltpolitik and the Navy Laws had reshaped the nation and stirred powerful currents of, blank, and militarism, but they had also exposed deep political divisions at home.

Pause the video, fill in the blank, and then come right back.

Okay.

Welcome back.

And let's see how that sentence should have read.

Weltpolitik and the Navy Laws had reshaped the nation and stirred powerful currents of nationalism and militarism, but they had also exposed deep political divisions at home.

Okay, great.

Let's move on to the final task, task C.

What I want you to do here is explain why the Navy Laws were so significant in Germany before the First World War.

And to help you to structure your answer, I want you to write one paragraph which refers to the early development and aims of the Navy Laws.

And then I want you to write to your second paragraph on the later consequences and impact of the Navy Laws.

Pause the video, have a go at the task, and then come right back.

Okay.

Welcome back.

And well done for having a go at that task.

So there's many ways that you could have written your answers, but compare your paragraphs with the model paragraphs I have here.

So for the first paragraph, we are looking at the early development of Navy Laws and their aims. The Navy laws were significant because they were central to the Kaiser's Weltpolitik, which aimed to give Germany an overseas empire and increase its influence.

From 1898, the laws authorized large-scale ship-building so Germany could rival Britain's Royal Navy, strengthen its position in negotiations over colonies, and protect its growing empire.

Admiral von Tirpitz and the Navy League generated huge public enthusiasm with millions joining the movement.

This meant the Navy Laws became a symbol of the national pride and unity, rallying support for the Kaiser's ambitions.

And for your second paragraph on the consequences of the Navy Laws, you could have written, they were also significant because of their far-reaching consequences for Germany before the First World War.

Building warships was extremely expensive, leading to higher taxes and heavy borrowing, which created political opposition from the social democrats and others.

Naval expansion alarmed Britain because Germany's growing warships threatened its global empire.

Together, Weltpolitik and the Navy Laws transformed Germany into a nation driven by nationalism, militarism, and imperial ambition.

By 1914, Germany was a country heavily committed to global prestige and military power, a national mood that defined Germany's position on the eve of the First World War and in its aftermath.

Okay, great, let's summarize today's lesson, Germany's Naval Ambitions Before the First World War.

Wilhelm II's Weltpolitik aims to match Britain and France with colonies and global prestige.

The Navy Laws from 1898 expanded Germany's warships to rival Britain and protect an overseas empire.

Admiral Tirpitz and the Navy League built huge public support for naval expansion.

Naval growth caused debt, political division, and tension with Britain before World War I.

And by 1914, nationalism and militarism and imperial ambition formed a national mood that defined Germany's position on the eve of the First World War and in its aftermath.

Well done, everyone.

And today, we've seen how Germany's naval ambitions transformed the country in the years before the First World War.

They reflected confidence, pride, and a hunger for recognition.

But they also created costs, tensions, and divisions, both at home and abroad.

What's important to take away here is that naval expansion was about far more than just ships.

It symbolized Germany's desire for a global role, fueled rivalry with Britain, and exposed fractures within German society.

By 1914, these ambitions have helped create a situation that was unstable and dangerous, exactly the kind of scenario that Bismarck, with all his careful diplomacy, had always tried to avoid.

See you in the next lesson.