In
1862 Otto von Bismarck became President
of Prussia. Over the next few years Bismarck helped to reorganize
Germany under Prussia's leadership. In
1870 Bismarck ordered the Prussian Army into France. As a result of
the Franco-Prussian War, France lost Alsace
and Lorraine, Strasburg and the great fortress of Metz to Germany.
By 1880 Chancellor Otto
von Bismarck had unified Germany into a federation
of 22 central European kingdoms or principalities. The largest of
these states was Prussia. The King of Prussia, Wilhelm
II, was also the German Emperor (Kaiser). The kaiser was extremely
powerful and controlled ministerial appointments, foreign policy and
the armed forces. Wilhelm II was jealous
of Otto
von Bismarck, and in 1890 was able to force
him from power.
Germany's empire was small compared to the
British Empire. However in the 19th century
Germany claimed three areas of Africa: German South-West Africa, the
Cameroons & Togoland and German East Africa. Other territory controlled
by Germany included Northern New Guinea, Samoa and the Chinese province
of Shandong.
Germany's industrial development was the fastest in the world. Between
1880 and 1913 coal production had increased by 400 per cent. Other
industries such as steel, chemicals, engineering and armaments had
also grown rapidly. In a thirty year period Germany's international
trade had quadrupled.
The German upper house, the Bundestrat, comprised of representatives
from the states and cities. Its voting system gave Prussia an absolute
veto over decision-making. Members of he lower-house, the Reichstag,
were elected by universal manhood suffrage.
The German government believed the country might be attacked by either
France in the west and Russia
in the east. In 1879 Germany and Austria-Hungary
agreed to form a Dual
Alliance. This became the Triple Alliance
when in 1882 it was expanded to include Italy.
The three countries agreed to support each other if attacked by either
France or Russia.
The Triple Alliance was renewed at five-yearly
intervals. The formation of the Triple Entente
in 1907 by Britain, France
and Russia, reinforced the belief that
they needed a military alliance.
Between 1870 and 1910 the
population of Germany had increased from 24 million to 65 million.
Over 40 per cent of this fast-growing workforce was employed in industry.
However, the 35 per cent still working in agriculture ensured that
Germany could produce enough food for its people.
By the beginning of the twentieth century Germany was recognised as
having the most efficient army in the world. Its structure included
universal mass conscription for
short-term military service followed by a longer period in reserve.
In 1914 the regular German Army comprised
25 corps (700,000 men).
The German Navy was the second largest
in the world in 1914. It had 17 dreadnoughts,
20 battleships, 5 battlecruisers,
7 modern light cruisers and 18 older
cruisers. Germany also had 30 petrol-powered
submarines and 10 diesel-powered U-boats,
with 17 more under construction.
The German Army Air Service (GAAS) had been
formed in 1912. Germany had been slow to see the potential of aircraft
and the GAAS was considered to be inferior to
the Aéronautique Militaire in France.
In 1914 Germany had 246 aircraft
and 11 airships.
Fritz
Erler, Help Us Win,
German poster
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