The storm clouds of war

By the end of the century, it had become clear that Britain was no longer as powerful as it had been. Countries like Germany and

the USA were becoming stronger. The reason for this was the fact that Germany,

particularly, had more natural wealth and British people started investing abroad; also

the scientific and technical education of Germany was higher.

The long period f peace was the outcome of Britain’s imperial and economical power.

British merchant grew for times larger in less than fifty years, moreover Britain lead the word in telegraphic communication, also it was the

center of growing international financial system.

During the South African war most of Europe had taken the part of Boers against them. This

was a reminder of the fact that in Europe friendship did matter. Britain realized that it no longer ruled the seas and that others had more

powerful armies and industries.

Although it succeeded in making treaties or understandings with some countries the danger of war with Germany had been clear from the beginning, fact that brought France and Britain together. Britain spent

a great sum of money to make sure that it had a stronger fleet than Germany.

A dreadful chain of events took place and Britain was dragged into war aside with France opposed

to Germany. They declared war to protect Belgium’s neutrality and because Britain could not allow a major enemy power to control the lower countries. This was the beginning of the

First World War.