Militarism
Militarism
• a rise in military expenditure, an increase
in military and naval forces, more influence
of the military men upon the policies of the
civilian government, and a preference for
force as a solution to problems.
• Due to the combined effect of
nationalism and imperialism the
leading countries of Europe entered
into an arms race the likes of which
had never been seen before.
• The total arms spending by the six
Great Powers (Britain, Germany,
France, Russia, Austria-Hungary and
Italy) increased by 50% between
1908 and 1913
• This development was also
fueled by the advances in
science and technology that
came about as a result of the
Industrial Revolution.
• Stronger steel
• Larger ships
Examples
• The armies of
both France and
Germany had
more than
doubled
between 1870
and 1914 .
1880
1914
Germany
1,300,000
5,000,000
France
730,000
4,000,000
Russia
400,000
1,200,000
• Naval Expansion
• The rivalry that developed
between Great Britain and
Germany was a perfect example of
the extent to which the nations of
Europe would go.
• HMS Dreadnought: 17,900 tons; 526
feet in length; ten 12 inch guns,
eighteen 4 inch guns, five torpedo
tubes; maximum belt armor 11
inches; top speed 21.6 knots.
Dreadnoughts
Great Britain
Germany
1906
1
0
1907
3
0
1908
2
4
1909
2
3
1910
3
1
1911
5
3
1912
3
2
1913
7
3
1914
3
1
Total
29
17
• British Adopted the “TwoPower” Standard.
• Britain stated that it would match
the increase in the size of the
German navy by building double
the number of battleships and
other capital ships that Germany
built .
• Tactics
• “Schlieffen Plan” was adopted in
1905 by the German army.
• Signaled their preparedness for
war.
• Allowed the German army to avoid
fighting a war on two fronts.
• Conscription
• system whereby the state requires
all men (and in a few cases
women) to serve a period in the
armed forces.
• As WW1 dragged on all of the
major European countries
eventually adopted conscription
in one form or another.
• Applied to the colonies as well.
• Canada passed conscription
legislation in 1917.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?
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