The Beginnings of the Anglo-German Naval Arms Race and Its Development until the first Moroccan Crisis
Abstract
This study focuses on the beginnings of the British-German naval rivalry. The roots of the German maritime programme are analysed on the period from the end of the 19th century until the outbreak of the first Moroccan crisis.
Furthermore, the present text also exami- nes the goals of the programme and key figures who promoted its implementation. On the other hand, the text also analyses Great Britain's view of Germany first as a potential ally of France and Russia which could make British navy outnumbered all the way up to perceiving Germany as the biggest threat to British security and the advent of a more ambitious British maritime policy as presented by the First Sea Lord John A.
Fisher. In this context, this study analyses the effects of the end of Britain's policy of "Splendid Isolation" when Britain was gradually forced to join one of the emerging camps in world politics as well as economic con- siderations, the factor of public opinion and the fact that Germany's maritime programme still remained more defensive in its nature and its main value was primarily in strengthening the German position in negotiations about a potential Anglo-German alliance