Post by adlai52 on Jul 19, 2024 12:22:03 GMT
Prompted by listing to the latest Rest is History series this time on the outbreak of the First World War.
This highlights the extent to which Anglo-German relations were improving by 1914, with the naval arms race removed as a concern.
It also provides a perspective on the British alliances/entente's with France and Russia being defensive in nature, a reaction to both nation's threat's to British colonial interests - so why not a similar arrangement with Germany?
Dominic Sandbrook makes the case for an Anglo-German alliance here - but what would British neutrality in 1914 or even a full blown alliance have meant?
I suspect neutrality still sees the German Army halted at the Marne, but remaining much deeper in French territory than happened historically - the position of the channel ports would be contentious in this scenario.
An alliance might have deterred France from even getting involved in a confrontation with Germany - but does that lead to Russia facing off against Germany and Austria alone?
Overall, it's hard to see how a closer relationship between Germany and Britain doesn't mean a much shorter war, if war even breaks out in 1914?
This highlights the extent to which Anglo-German relations were improving by 1914, with the naval arms race removed as a concern.
It also provides a perspective on the British alliances/entente's with France and Russia being defensive in nature, a reaction to both nation's threat's to British colonial interests - so why not a similar arrangement with Germany?
Dominic Sandbrook makes the case for an Anglo-German alliance here - but what would British neutrality in 1914 or even a full blown alliance have meant?
I suspect neutrality still sees the German Army halted at the Marne, but remaining much deeper in French territory than happened historically - the position of the channel ports would be contentious in this scenario.
An alliance might have deterred France from even getting involved in a confrontation with Germany - but does that lead to Russia facing off against Germany and Austria alone?
Overall, it's hard to see how a closer relationship between Germany and Britain doesn't mean a much shorter war, if war even breaks out in 1914?
