10 myths about World War One

[Neil]

Britain and Germany make even less sense than France and Germany.

[jimmy olsen]

Germany was a continental power with continental interests that directly clashed with the other nations on the European mainland. Unlike Britian it did not need control of the sea lanes and an extensive colonial empire to be prosperous.

[Neil]

Britain's interest was in trade, and Germany was her number one competitor.  The Empire wasn't where Britain's wealth was.  Britain's wealth was creatd because they were the gatekeeper and the lubricant for the global economy.  Almost half the world's shipping was on British-flaggeed ships, and the insurance and credit that made it possible for goods to be transported was run out of London.  Moreover, Britain had a vital interest in ensuring that nobody controlled the entire northwestern coastline of Europe.

[Monoriu]

Moreover, Britain had a vital interest in ensuring that nobody controlled the entire northwestern coastline of Europe.

Why?  I am curious to know more.

[Razgovory]

Moreover, Britain had a vital interest in ensuring that nobody controlled the entire northwestern coastline of Europe.

Why?  I am curious to know more.

Because if someone controlled all that territory they could effectively lock Britain out of European markets.  It's always been the British way to keep the European powers balanced against each other.

[Viking]

Moreover, Britain had a vital interest in ensuring that nobody controlled the entire northwestern coastline of Europe.

Why?  I am curious to know more.

Port Capacity for invading Britain.

[Darth Wagtaros]

 

[Drakken]

Napoleon famously said that owning Antwerp was like pointing a pistol at the heart of Britain.

[Neil]

Indeed.  Not only are the Low Countries full of ports that would be of immense use in staging an invasion of Britain, but they also control the mouths of many of the rivers that formed the highway for trade in Western and Central Europe.

[CountDeMoney]

Unlike Britian it did not need control of the sea lanes and an extensive colonial empire to be prosperous.

But it wanted to, and damned fast.

Gee...a power with immense economic growth that accelerated exponentially within the span of a few short decades, imbued with a sudden extrovert nationalism, shackled by geography with an almost irrational desire to match what it sees as its greatest rival as a blue water navy with global reach in a few short years, creating a naval arms race without learning the discipline and from the mistakes that come with decades of experience?

What could happen?

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Unlike Britian it did not need control of the sea lanes and an extensive colonial empire to be prosperous.

But it wanted to, and damned fast.

Gee...a power with immense economic growth that accelerated exponentially within the span of a few short decades, imbued with a sudden extrovert nationalism, shackled by geography with an almost irrational desire to match what it sees as its greatest rival as a blue water navy with global reach in a few short years, creating a naval arms race without learning the discipline and from the mistakes that come with decades of experience?

What could happen?

Yeah, but Germany wasn't building all of Blighty's computers.