Скачать или смотреть 8th December 1912: German Imperial War Council discusses the possibility of a European war

Against the backdrop of a rapidly changing European landscape, the German Imperial War Council met to consider strategic considerations and military preparedness. Tensions were simmering among the major powers, fuelled by longstanding rivalries and an intricate web of alliances. The Council sought to position Germany advantageously in this precarious international environment.

At the heart of the discussions were issues related to military strategy, naval expansion, and diplomatic manoeuvring. Germany, under the leadership of Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg and the Kaiser, was navigating a delicate balance between asserting its imperial ambitions and avoiding open confrontation.

Russia had announced the development of its Great Military Programme in November, while Austria-Hungary was growing concerned about Serbian successes in the First Balkan War which threatened war between the two nations. Wilhelm II had confirmed German support for Austria-Hungary ‘under any circumstances’ but this only served to antagonise Britain with whom it was already involved in a naval arms race, and who also warned Germany that an attack on France would trigger a British response.

The German Imperial War Council agreed that, within this tense atmosphere, a European war involving Germany was unavoidable. General von Moltke, the Army’s Chief of Staff, urged prompt action to take advantage of Russia’s relative weakness whereas the Naval State Secretary, Admiral von Tirpitz, sought a delay of 18 months since the Navy was not yet ready for a war against Britain.

While the Council itself did not trigger the First World War, historians have seen its deliberations as emblematic of the geopolitical tensions that would eventually erupt with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914.