Navy Laws

Question 1

G.A.N.E.

Answer 1

Glory (for Germany to be a great power)
Army (grow the size of the army - supported by conservative elites)
Navy (grow the size of the navy - supported by the Navy League)
Empire (give Germany her ‘place in the sun’ i.e. expand overseas colonial territories - supported by the German Colonial League)

Question 2

Weltpolitik

Answer 2

• The Kaiser was determined to make Germany a powerful imperial power
• This was a world policy or ‘Weltpolitik’
• Late 1800s, Germany started to conquer other nations

Question 3

The Naval Laws and Amendments

Answer 3

1898 : First Naval Law - Seven battleships to be built

1900 : Second Naval Law : Doubled the navy from 19 battleships to 38 battleships

1906 : Third Naval Law/Amendment - Six extra cruisers to be built

1908 : Fourth Naval Law/Amendment - New vessels to replace old cruisers would be battleships

1912 : Fifth Naval Law/Amendment - Three additional battleships

Question 4

Impact of the Navy Laws : Positive

Answer 4

• By 1913 Germany had the 2nd largest navy in the world. By 1913 the Army has also grown to over 800,000
• The successful passing of the Navy Laws by the Reichstag illustrated the importance of the Navy to the German people and supported the Kaiser’s Weltpolitik aims
• Tirpitz skilfully played on fear of the British ambitions to encourage nationalist attitudes in Germany
• Initially, naval expansion increased support for the Kaiser and his government - by appealing to their sense of patriotism

Question 5

Impact of the Navy Laws : Negative

Answer 5

• Naval expansion was expensive and led to high taxes and increased government debt to 490 billion marks by 1902
• The Naval Laws threatened Britain’s ‘Two-Power Standard’ as the German fleet was clearly no longer a coastal defence force but a battle fleet. Britain moved to the ‘Two-Power Standard’ + 6 battleships
• Relations between Germany and Britain were damaged as Britain knew they were the target of German naval expansion. The Anglo-German naval arms race ensued.
• When the high costs became clear the government lost its majority in the Reichstag and found it difficult to reform the Tariff Law of 1902

Question 6

M.A.I.N.S.

Answer 6

Militarism
Alliances
Imperialism
Nationalism
Significant individuals (Gaurilo Princip, Kaiser Wilhelm II)