Editing History of Germany (section)

====Alliances and diplomacy====
{{Main|Triple Alliance (1882)}}

The young [[Wilhelm II, German Emperor|Kaiser Wilhelm]] set out to apply his imperialist ideas of ''Weltpolitik'' ({{IPA|de|ˈvɛltpoliˌtiːk|lang}}, "world politics"), as he envisaged a gratuitously aggressive political course to increase the empire's influence in and control over the world. After the removal of Bismarck, foreign policies were tackled with by the Kaiser and the Federal Foreign Office under [[Friedrich von Holstein]]. Wilhelm's increasingly erratic and reckless conduct was unmistakably related to character deficits and the lack of diplomatic skills.<ref>On the Kaiser's "histrionic personality disorder", see Tipton (2003), pp. 243–245</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Röhl |first=J. C. G. |date=Sep 1966 |title=Friedrich von Holstein |journal=Historical Journal |volume=9 |issue=3 |pages=379–388 |doi=10.1017/s0018246x00026716 |s2cid=163767674}}</ref> The foreign office's rather sketchy assessment of the current situation and its recommendations for the empire's most suitable course of action were:
<blockquote>First a long-term coalition between France and Russia had to fall apart, secondly, Russia and Britain would never get together, and finally, Britain would eventually seek an alliance with Russia.</blockquote>
Subsequently, Wilhelm refused to renew the [[Reinsurance Treaty]] with Russia. Russia promptly formed a closer relationship with France in the [[Franco-Russian Alliance|Dual Alliance of 1894]], as both countries were concerned about the novel disagreeability of Germany. Furthermore, Anglo–German relations provided, from a British point of view, no basis for any consensus as the Kaiser refused to divert from his, although somewhat peculiarly desperate and anachronistic, aggressive imperial engagement and the [[Anglo-German naval arms race|naval arms race]] in particular. Holstein's analysis proved to be mistaken on every point and Wilhelm failed too, as he did not adopt a nuanced political dialogue. Germany was left gradually isolated and dependent on the [[Triple Alliance (1882)|Triple Alliance]], with Austria-Hungary and Italy. This agreement was hampered by differences between Austria and Italy and in 1915 Italy left the alliance.<ref name="raff">{{Citation |last=Raff |first=Diethher |title=History of Germany from the Medieval Empire to the Present |pages=34–55, 202–206 |date=1988}}</ref>

In 1897, Admiral [[Alfred von Tirpitz]], state secretary of the [[German Imperial Naval Office]] devised his initially rather practical, yet nonetheless [[Tirpitz Plan|ambitious plan]] to build a sizeable naval force. Although basically posing only an indirect threat as a [[Fleet in being]], Tirpitz theorized, that its mere existence would force Great Britain, dependent on unrestricted movement on the seas, to agree to diplomatic compromises.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Woodward |first=David |date=July 1963 |title=Admiral Tirpitz, Secretary of State for the Navy, 1897–1916 |journal=History Today |volume=13 |issue=8 |pages=548–555}}</ref> Tirpitz started the program of warship construction in 1898 and enjoyed the full support of Kaiser Wilhelm. Wilhelm entertained less rational ideas on the fleet, that circled around his romantic childhood dream to have a "fleet of {{Interp|his|orig=my}} own some day" and his obsessive adherence to direct his policies along the line of [[Alfred Thayer Mahan]]'s work [[The Influence of Sea Power upon History]].<ref>{{Cite book |first=John B. |last=Hattendorf |url=https://www.academia.edu/661532 |title=he Influence of History on Mahan: Proceedings of a Conference Marking the Centenary of Alfred Thayer Mahan's Influence of Sea Power Upon History |date=January 1991 |publisher=Academia |access-date=4 April 2019}}</ref> In exchange for the eastern African island of [[Zanzibar]], Germany had bargained the island of [[Heligoland]] in the [[German Bight]] with Britain in 1890, and converted the island into a naval base and installed immense coastal defense batteries. Britain considered the imperial German endeavours to be a dangerous infringement on the century-old delicate balance of global affairs and trade on the seas under British control. The British, however, resolved to keep up the [[Anglo-German naval arms race|naval arms race]] and introduced the highly advanced new ''[[Dreadnought]]'' battleship concept in 1907. Germany quickly adopted the concept and by 1910 the arms race again escalated.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Herwig |first=Holger |title=Luxury Fleet: The Imperial German Navy 1888–1918 |date=1980}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |first=Alfred Thayer |last=Mahan |url=https://archive.org/details/seanpowerinf00maha/page/n6 |title=The Influence of Sea Power Upon History |publisher=Archive Org |date=1890 |access-date=4 April 2019}}</ref>

In the [[First Moroccan Crisis]] of 1905, Germany nearly clashed with Britain and France when the latter attempted to establish a protectorate over Morocco. Kaiser Wilhelm II was upset at having not been informed about French intentions, and declared their support for Moroccan independence. William II made a highly provocative speech regarding this. The following year, a conference was held in which all of the European powers except Austria-Hungary (by now little more than a German satellite) sided with France. A compromise was brokered by the United States where the French relinquished some, but not all, control over Morocco.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Esthus |first=Raymond A. |title=Theodore Roosevelt and the International Rivalries |date=1970 |pages=66–111}}</ref>

The [[Agadir Crisis|Second Moroccan Crisis]] of 1911 saw another dispute over Morocco erupt when France tried to suppress a revolt there. Germany, still smarting from the previous quarrel, agreed to a settlement whereby the French ceded some territory in central Africa in exchange for Germany's renouncing any right to intervene in Moroccan affairs. This confirmed French control over Morocco, which became a full protectorate of that country in 1912.<ref name="PageSonnenburg2003">{{Cite book |first1=Melvin Eugene |last1=Page |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qFTHBoRvQbsC&pg=PA8 |title=Colonialism: An International, Social, Cultural, and Political Encyclopedia |last2=Penny M. Sonnenburg |publisher=ABC-CLIO |date=2003 |isbn=978-1-5760-7335-3 |page=8}}</ref>