The Development Of The Arms Race In Europe

Military Victories:
Increases the prestige of the military and intensified nationalism
Military Defeat
Exposed the problems and heighten the need for military reform or increased
spending
Virtually every Major European Nation engaged in some form of Military renewal in
the late 18th early 19th century

Causes for Military Expansion in Germany, Russia and Britain

Germany
The current Kaizer Wilhelm II main focus was for military expansion and
Modernization as he wanted to retain his country Place in the sun.
Also Germany felt weak in military might as it was geographically surrounded by
France and Russia
Britain
Was driven by the public interest and the Press
1884- Newspaperman W.T Stead wrote a series of articles suggesting that Britain
was unprepared for War especially in naval Defenses
Pressure Groups such as the British Navy League (1894)
Were pushing for more ships and personnel
Early 1900s
The British Navy League and the Press called the Government to commission more
Dreadnoughts (Battle
Ships).With the major slogan being We want eight and
we wont wait.
Two Power Standard 1889
Was an act of parliament in which the Royal Navy was to be as strong as the worlds
next two largest navies combined, which at that point was France and Russia.

Russia
Due to losing to Japan in 1905, this prompted the Tsar to order a massive
rearmament program.
1910
45% Armed Forces
5% Education
Expenditure of The Powers
In 1870
Combined Military Spending of the 6 powers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Britain
France
German
Austria-Hungary
Russia
Italy

Totaled to 94 Million Pounds

By 1914;
398 Million Pounds
Germany spending increased by 73%
France by 10%
Britain by 13%
Russia by more than one third
1908
286.7 m

1909
306.2 m

1910
330.4 m

1911
345.1 m

1912
349.9 m

286.7 m

306.8 m

301.5 m

303.9 m

331.5 m

France

216 m

236.4 m

248 m

277.9 m

307.8 m

Russia
Italy

291.6 m
87.5 m

315.5 m
115.8 m

324 m
124.9 m

334.5 m
133.7 m

387 m
158.4 m

Great
Britain
Germany

1913
374.2
m
463.6
m
363.8
m
435 m
142.5
m

United
States
Japan

189.5 m

199 m

197 m

197 m

227 m

93.7 m

95.7 m

100.2 m

110.7 m

107.7 m

M = Million in US dollars
SOURCE: Jacobson World Armament Expenditure, 1935
The number of Soldiers
Germany 170,000
1898- 17 New Vessels Military Submarines
1913-1914 Navy dramatically increased
1914- 29 U-Boats
Germanys improvements started a press frenzy and alarm in Britain which resulted
in the commissioning of 29 new ships for the Royal Navy.
Improvements to Weaponry
Range of Heavy Artillery Tripled from its original 2,500 range
The development of Explosive Shells
1881The machine gun became
1. Smaller
2. Lighter
3. more accurate
4. more reliable
5. much faster
6. Capable of firing up to 600 rounds per minute.
The range of the Rifle increased
Historian disagree on the reasons for the arms race but the development of new
weaponry changed the face of modern warfare
Authors that support this Cause
Quincy Wright ---------------A Study of War
David Stevenson----------Armaments and the Coming of War: Europe, 1904-1914
David G. Herrmann--------The Arming of Europe and the Making of the First World War

244.6
m
104.6
m