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Difficulty: HardCauses of World War I

"You English are mad, mad, mad as March hares. What has come over you that you are so completely given over to suspicions quite unworthy of a great nation? . . . I have said time and after time that I am a friend of England . . . but your press especially, and a large number of your people, interpret my actions as hostile. My task is not easy, for the prevailing sentiment among large sections of the middle and lower classes of my own country is not friendly to England. But I must protect Germany’s growing trade and worldwide commerce, and for that, we require a fleet. Only a large navy can secure our empire’s place across the seas."

—Kaiser Wilhelm II, German Emperor, interview published in the British newspaper *The Daily Telegraph*, 1908

Which of the following pre-1914 developments is best illustrated by the Kaiser's explanation of Germany's naval build-up in the passage?

  1. The ways in which imperialist competition and commercial expansion drove the growth of militarism.Answer
  2. B
    The collapse of diplomatic balance following the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.
  3. C
    The establishment of the mandate system to transition former German colonies to British control.
  4. D
    The global adoption of mercantilist policies to replace industrial capitalist trading practices.

Answer

The ways in which imperialist competition and commercial expansion drove the growth of militarism.
The correct answer is correct because the Kaiser explicitly links the growth of the German navy (militarism) to the defense of Germany's global commercial interests and colonial empire (imperialism). This illustrates how the competition for global markets and empires among European powers directly contributed to the pre-war arms race.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus document for key themes and arguments.
The Kaiser argues that Germany must build a large fleet to protect its expanding global trade and secure its overseas empire.
Understanding the source's main point is necessary to connect it to broader historical developments.
2
Identify the historical concepts represented by the Kaiser's arguments.
Building a fleet represents militarism (specifically the Anglo-German naval arms race), while protecting global trade and securing an overseas empire represents imperialism.
Connecting the source's details to the underlying causes of World War I (M-A-I-N) allows for proper categorization.
3
Evaluate the options to find the one that accurately connects the stimulus to pre-1914 trends.
The option describing imperialist competition driving the growth of militarism aligns with the Kaiser's stated justification for naval expansion.
This step eliminates options that are chronologically inaccurate, represent different concepts, or confuse the immediate trigger of the war with long-term trends.

Key Concept

Causes of World War I (Militarism and Imperialism)
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Topics

Causes of World War I

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