The German naval menace: the relationship between the press and diplomacy in the Dreadnought Era 1904-1914, an era of misperception?

Abstract

The aim of the thesis is to provide an interdisciplinary approach to the Anglo-German arms race in the early twentieth century by combining press histories and international relations theories. The thesis suggests that the British misperceived German naval and imperial ambitions and pressed for a retraction of German power and an increase in Britain’s naval budget. British misperceptions of Germany were exacerbated by the British press, newspapers and editors. The press exacerbated Anglo- German antagonisms by issuing hostile publications throughout their pages which caused a misperception of foreign and naval policy. Moreover, British attempts to secure its trade routes across the globe had the unintentional effect of making Germany less secure. The thesis provides a chronological account of the Anglo-German arms race. Topics discussed in the thesis include Foreign Office affairs, personal relationships between journalists and politicians and a break-down of the principal newspapers in circulation in Britain and Germany. The thesis will also trace Anglo-German insecurity explaining how the press aggravated a sensitive situation. The thesis will address the underlying hostilities in Anglo-German relations and attribute them to the press.