10:16
World War I was a real disaster. However, Poland was able to win its statehood, so things weren't so bad for them. One of the countries that gained almost nothing from the war was Great Britain: hundreds of thousands of its young men died at the front, and hundreds of thousands more returned home seriously wounded. The war devastated the British economy, burdening it with debts, mostly to the United States, which as a result became a much more important financial center. And although Britain received some of the colonies of the defeated Central Powers, the war sowed the seeds of the decline of the British Empire. It also brought about fundamental changes in the lives of British people, as the government began to play a much greater role in their
daily lives. There was also a weakening of the old aristocracy and an expansion of voting rights. And for tens of millions of Britons, the war was a time of loss and sacrifice that affected them throughout their lives. In the months leading up to the July Crisis, the vast majority of government members and the general population opposed any intervention. And given that Britain itself was never attacked, the question arises: why did it fight? Why did the United Kingdom enter World War I ? It is important to understand that World War I was not an isolated event, and everything that happened before it greatly shaped Britain's response to the July Crisis and the subsequent declaration of war. In the late 19th century, Britain enjoyed a
period of so-called " brilliant isolation," trying to ignore European events and avoid formal alliances that might drag it into a major war and hinder its empire-building. Imperial expansion took place in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, and the greatest threats to it were the French, with their ambitions in Africa and Indochina, and the Russians, whose advance in Central Asia had come close to that of the British "jewel in the crown." Germany at that time, although a great power, was not seen as a threat to the British Empire. The British, realizing that 50 years of foreign policy had left them without a single serious European ally, sought to forge an alliance to
strengthen their position. Tensions over the Boer War and British colonialism in South Africa strained Anglo- German relations, although some in the British government wanted to see if an alliance with the Germans was possible. The Germans showed little interest, as they considered Britain one of the main obstacles to their imperial expansion. While some in Britain considered the Germans to be overly stubborn, because they refused to make any colonial concessions for the sake of the alliance. Initially, the British hoped that Britain, Germany, and the United States would form their own alliance to counter France and Russia.
However, because the Americans had no desire to do so, and the Germans did not believe that a naval ally would be useful in a future war, it came to nothing. In fact, it was at this time that Germany began a massive naval buildup, and London's reaction was panic. The result was an Anglo-German naval arms race, in which Britain outpaced the Germans, and relations between them deteriorated over the next decade. With Germany no longer an option, Britain turned to France. Of course, they have been rivals for a long time, and that tension has not gone away. But France needed all possible help in the war with Germany, which its leaders believed was inevitable. When London and Paris nearly entered the war, helping their allies in the Russo-Japanese
War of 1904, the French realized that having Britain on their side was much better than having it as an adversary or even a neutral party. So they concluded a series of colonial agreements known as the " Entente Cordiale". This was not an alliance, and Britain was not obligated to assist France in any future conflict. Germany did not like this, and when the French announced their intention to conquer Morocco, the Germans threatened war if they did not retreat. They did not back down, and the British supported their demands, further damaging Anglo-German relations and making it clear to France that Britain was on their side. With France as an ally, it was advisable to try to resolve the problem of the threat posed by Russia to
British India through diplomatic means. In 1907, the parties concluded an agreement under which Turkey was divided into spheres of influence, and Russia agreed to leave Afghanistan alone. In return, Britain agreed to lend Russia money and also considered the possibility of agreeing to Russia's territorial gains at the expense of the Ottomans at some point in the future. Perhaps. This was enough, and thus the Triple Entente was born. But again, Britain was in no way obligated to defend either France or Russia. After this, Austria- Hungary unilaterally annexed Bosnia in 1908. In 1911, the Germans again threatened war over French control of Morocco, and were again ordered to keep quiet and get out of the way. The British and Germans had a fairly low opinion of each
other at the time but when Germany agreed to suspend naval development, largely because it was too expensive to maintain a large modern navy alongside a large modern army, the two countries began a period of reconciliation during which colonial disputes in Africa were settled. It is important to remember that at that time the vast majority of the ruling liberal government did not want war, did not believe that Germany wanted war, and certainly did not think that war was on the horizon until it had already begun. After Archduke Franz Ferdinand's somewhat turbulent visit to Sarajevo, Austria- Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia.
Russia declared mobilization, then Germany, then France, and it seemed that another great European war was about to begin. But even then, the British cabinet was largely opposed to intervention, with the exception of Prime Minister Herbert Asquith, Foreign Secretary Edward Grey, and First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill, who believed that war with Germany was inevitable and that it was better to end it. Britain offered its mediation, but, as you know, these attempts led to nothing. And when war seemed inevitable, the British government mobilized the navy and also demanded that both France and Germany respect Belgium's independence. One of them did not
, and after ignoring the British ultimatum, the United Kingdom entered the war on the side of France, Russia, and Belgium. So what changed that caused the largely anti-interventionist British government to change its mind and actively vote for war? Well, the main reason that the British government most often cited and actively used in propaganda was, of course, Belgium. In 1839, the great powers and a reluctant Netherlands signed the Treaty of London, by which they recognized the independence of Belgium, and in exchange for its perpetual neutrality, they all promised to guarantee it. It sounds pretty straightforward, but in reality the British believed that while the treaty obliged them to maintain Belgian neutrality, this did not
necessarily mean providing military assistance. Despite this belief, the British government quickly publicly declared that it would not tolerate a violation of Belgian neutrality. And for some in the government, this threat even extended to Belgium itself: Winston Churchill argued that if Belgium allowed German troops to pass through the country, Berlin demanded, it would be a violation of the Treaty of London, which, he believed, would force Britain to restore Belgian neutrality, even if the Belgians themselves did not want it. With the sole exception of Belgium, the British remained deliberately vague about what would and would not compel them to enter the war. And such indecision was a cornerstone of British foreign policy
during the crisis. It was feared that openly establishing " red lines" would limit Britain's freedom of maneuver or reduce Russia's or France's willingness to de-escalate. This policy of "keep quiet and hope for the best was largely due to the internal disputes of the Liberal government and its extremely precarious position. In the previous election, the Liberals had only won one seat ahead of their Conservative opponents and remained in power thanks to the support of the Irish Parliamentary Party, which in turn demanded autonomy for Ireland. It was feared that if the cabinet could not agree on further action, the party would split, which would, in turn, hand the reins of government to the Conservatives.
Many in the Liberal Party believed that the Conservatives would seek war anyway, and since it was probably inevitable, it was better for the Liberal Party to lead it. It would also mean that they would avoid punishment in the next election for being seen as cowards. Another reason for British intervention was fear of what a if the Kaiser won, France and Russia would lose territory, resources, and influence, and Germany would undoubtedly become the most powerful European state, while Wilhelm would be the most influential figure in Europe since Napoleon Bonaparte. What exactly a German victory would mean, Britain, like everyone else, did not know for sure.
However, its final victory over France resulted in the French losing territory and paying huge reparations to Berlin. So it was safe to assume that in the event of a new victory, Germany would seize even more territories and control a much larger population. And a richer, resource-rich Germany would be able to maintain a naval buildup that it could not previously, and thus threaten the British Empire. These fears redoubled the day the Germans demanded unhindered passage through Belgium. If Belgium agreed to this, it would effectively mean the end of its independence and its transformation into a puppet state of Germany. Through it, would also gain direct
access to the English Channel, which was a direct threat to the British coast and economy. In addition, politicians who advocated intervention feared that if Britain remained on the sidelines of the war and watched the invasion of Belgium, its word would be completely worthless, and no treaty signed by Britain thereafter would have any force if the country was prepared to retreat at the first sign of resistance. Another fear was that inaction would confirm the worldview of German leaders, who argued that the treaties they had signed were invalid if they themselves saw fit. The Kaiser's government had a habit of changing its mind, making astonishingly
absurd demands, and threatening war at the slightest provocation. And for many in the British cabinet and parliament, the existence of a European hegemon acting at the whims of an emperor with an aggressive past meant that even if Britain avoided this war, another one would be just around the corner. And the final reason why Britain entered World War I was simple. It seemed like there was some benefit to be gained from this. If Britain had fought and won, it could have ended Germany's rise as a world power and potential threat. Germany had colonies that Britain could seize, which would transform the German Empire from a state with global ambitions into a purely continental one, not strong enough to threaten London but powerful enough that France and Russia
could not forget about it. It was these reasons that prompted most members of the British cabinet, although, it is important to note, not all, to agree to participate in the war. And those who voted for war reluctantly were assured that for Britain it would be a naval war and that land troops would not fight in Europe. I hope you enjoyed this episode, special thanks to my patrons: James Bizen, Sky Chapel, Cartwright, Marvin Cassell, Ryan Hawkey, Gustav Swan, Anthony Beckett, Captain Sky-Dog, Roddy Martin, AF Firefly, Robert K. Perkins, Alex Schwinn, Andy McGehee, The McWopper, Spencer Lightfoot, The Flying Deutschland, Kamuyin Yun, Respectable Level of Chaos, Yiduan Wang, Shu Enin, Paul H., Castle Bravo, Michael Holbert, Dr. Frederick,
Dan Lehman, Eric Lyndon, Lester Diamond, Winston Caywood, The Jim Stahnum, Brady Arendal, Bonnie Bounds, Remko Heisman, Jim Stromberg, Lord Bick, Betkabot, Jean- François Maylen, and Hoofcock.
