Militarism and armaments

1
Militarism and armaments

• All generals of staff, admiralties and war
  ministries prepare for war
• A key question is the relationship between the
  military and society, the degree of control of
  civilians over the army, the nature of armament
  programs and general societal values
  (militaristic or otherwise)

2
Militarism and the Arms race

• Most European armies were substantial by 1913
  (except Britain). Most countries had required
  conscription.
• Germany- Many military decisions were taken
  without civilian approval (Kaiser was
  coordinator). Little coordination between army
  and navy (Schlieffen Plan 1905-blitzkrieg
  tactics-army war against Fr and Russia) Navy
  under Von Tirpitz planning a war against Britain

3
Militarism

• Germany- worried about encirclement. Naval build
  up cost taxpayer, intense propaganda campaign to
  become a Weltmacht- risk theory results in
  Britain building Dreadnought battleships and F/P
  more friendly to France and Russia. Battleships
  were hardly used in the war, Jutland 1916. Most
  of the war was submarine based

4
Naval arms race

• Attempts to reach agreement over the race were
  impossible. Both sides wanted naval superiority
  e.g Haldines visit to Berlin 1912but Gr. wanted
  assurances of Br neutrality.
• Br remained uncertain about Gr. intentions led
  to tension. Churchill claimed Gr. navy was a
  luxury, threat to securityadded to climate which
  made war possible. Business interests tied to war
  Krupps in Gr. Race led to innovations and
  technical progress there is no shooting, but
  there is bleeding E. Bernstein (Gr. socialist)

5
Naval race

• Gr. Naval strategy was a threat to Br. naval
  hegemony. Competition over world trade.Led to Br.
  getting closer to France.
• Fr wanted Alsace/Lorraine back, ambitions in
  Africa, centered on Morocco and rival with Gr.
  Fr. army filled with controversy, Dreyfus
  Affair-divisions, military ticket won the
  elections 1913. Poincare was a moderate. Fr. Put
  pressure on Russia to modernize their forces and
  to be ready to mobilize

6
Militarism

• Russians reluctant to declare war on Gr.
• Army reform was only partly successful, lacked
  central direction, weak Tsar. Defeat by Japan
  left to pay for reconstruction. Two front war
  was inevitable
• A-H army was strongest unifying force in the
  nation, loyal to Franz Joseph, complicated
  bureaucracy, many languages,Bosnian crisis 1908
  and Balkan Crisis of 1912-13 had committed many
  men, Skoda factory not producing adequate
  munitions and armaments

7
militarism

• Serbian army growing, nationalist spirit-Pasic,
  domestic instability- not a great time for Franz
  Ferdinand to visit.
• Russians new that they would have an offensive
  war Plan 19
• Fr plan XVII attack Gr. at Lorraine
• Austrian plan to attack Russia and Serbia
• Germanys Schlieffen Plan- six weeks to defeat
  France

8
Questions

• Were the Germans planning an aggressive war- a
  preventative war? Was Germany responsible for the
  outbreak of war? Fritz Fischer- Gr. Historian
  from the 60s-yes. Potsdam 1912 Warthe sooner
  the better planning for war, Zabern Affair
  1913, Germany not fully democratized, Junker
  class very influential, Wilhelm was carrying a
  military tradition of the Prussian Hohenzollern
  royal dynasty, Wilhelms dramatic speeches,
  bullying tone, expansionism, Daily Telegraph
  Affair The Kaiser problem has been displayed for
  the whole world to see

9
Germany not to blame?

• Gr. not democratic, Russia even less so.
• Each country claimed that its mobilization was a
  reaction to others
• Br Ex Force was tiny- rely on navy
• All powers were re-equipping their military
• Armaments once started is not easy to stop
• Armies had undue influence on government
• All governments said the war would be short