Which of the following countries had the most expansive empire in 1914?
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Imperialism is a system where one powerful nation occupies, controls and exploits smaller nations. Several European nations were imperial powers prior to World War I. Imperial rivalry and competition for new territories
and possessions fuelled tension between major European nations and became a factor in the outbreak of war. As mentioned above, imperialism is a system where a large, powerful nation dominates and exploits smaller nations, which are known as colonies. Together, the imperial power and her colonies are known as an empire. In most cases, the imperial nation is euphemistically referred to as the ‘mother country’. It
establishes control over its colonies against their will – for example, through infiltration and annexation, political pressure, war or military conquest. Once control is established, this territory is claimed as a colony. Colonies are governed by either the imperial nation, a puppet government or local collaborators. A military presence is often stationed in the colony, to maintain order, suppress dissent and uprisings and deter imperial rivals. Imperialism can have military or
geopolitical advantages but its main lure is economic. Colonies exist chiefly to enrich the imperial power. This may involve the supply of precious metals or other resources, such as timber, rubber, rice or other foodstuffs. Colonies can also be invaluable sources of cheap labour, agricultural land and trading ports. Prior to World War I the world’s largest, richest and most dominant imperial power was Great Britain. The British Empire famously occupied one-quarter of the globe (“the sun never sets on Britain” was a famous slogan of the mid-19th century). British colonial possessions in the late 1800s included Canada, India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Burma, Australia,
New Zealand, Hong Kong, several Pacific and Caribbean Islands, South Africa, Rhodesia, Egypt and other parts of Africa. Many of these colonies were acquired with little difficulty. Others took more time, effort and bloodshed to conquer. Britain’s acquisition of South Africa, for example, followed costly wars against the Zulus (native tribes) and Boers (white farmer-settlers of Dutch extraction). British imperialism was focused on maintaining and expanding trade, the importation of
raw materials and the sale of manufactured goods. Britain’s imperial power was reinforced by her powerful navy, the world’s largest, and a fleet of mercantile (commercial) vessels. France was another significant imperial power. French imperial holdings included Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia), some Pacific islands and several colonies in west and north-west Africa. The German Empire
included Shandong (a province of China), New Guinea, Samoa and other Pacific islands, and several colonies in central and south-west Africa. The Spanish Empire had once included the Philippines and large parts of South America, though by the early 20th century Spain’s imperial power was dwindling. Empires closer to continental Europe included Russia, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman sultanate. Russia ruled over Finland, Poland and several central Asian regions as an imperial power. Russia’s disastrous war against Japan in 1904-5 was an attempt to extend her imperial reach into Korea and northern China. Despite condemnation of European imperialism in America, the United States also engaged in some empire building, particularly towards the end of the 1800s. Here is a list of the more significant imperial powers of the early 1900s: Global empires in 1914
The scramble for AfricaThe second half of the 1800s produced a significant ‘rush for empire’. This desperate push for new colonies was fuelled by rising nationalism, increasing demand for land and dwindling opportunities at home. Two relative newcomers to empire-building were the newly unified nations of Germany and Italy. The man who helped construct the German state in the 1870s, Otto von Bismarck, showed little interest in gathering colonies – but Bismarck’s view was not shared by other Germans. Organisations like the Colonial League (formed 1882 in Berlin) whipped up support for German imperial expansion. The Kaiser and his advisors formulated their own imperial designs, mostly focused on Africa. In 1884, Germany acquired Togoland, the Cameroons and South-West Africa (now Namibia). Six years later, a sizeable swathe of East Africa fell under German control and was renamed Tanganyika (now Tanzania). This African colonisation was well received in Germany but it caused problems in Britain and France. Many in London dreamed of a British-owned railway running the length of Africa (“from Cairo to the Cape”). German control of eastern Africa was an obstacle to this vision. Two Moroccan crisesThe scramble for empire in Africa also sparked several diplomatic incidents. Two significant crises stemmed from events in Morocco in north-west Africa. Though not a French colony, Morocco’s location placed it within France’s sphere of influence. Paris sought to establish a protectorate in Morocco, the German Kaiser intervened. In 1905, Wilhelm II travelled to the Moroccan city of Tangier, where he delivered a speech supporting the idea of Moroccan independence. This antagonised the French government and precipitated a series of angry diplomatic responses and feverish press reports. A second crisis erupted in 1911. As the French were attempting to suppress a rebellion in Morocco, the Germans landed an armed vessel, the Panther, at the Moroccan port of Agadir – a landing made without permission, prior warning or any obvious purpose. This incident triggered an even stronger reaction and brought France and Germany to the brink of war. These acts of German provocation were not designed to encroach into Morocco or expand its empire, but to drive a wedge between France and Britain. It had the opposite effect, strengthening the Anglo-French alliance and intensifying criticism of German Weltpolitik and ‘gunboat diplomacy’ in both France and Britain. The decaying Ottoman EmpireImperial instability was another contributor to European tensions. Critical problems in the Ottoman Empire created uncertainty in eastern Europe and threatened to upset the balance of power. Described by satirists as the ‘Sick Man of Europe’, by the second half of the 1800s, the Ottoman sultanate was in rapid political, military and economic decline. The Ottomans were defeated in several wars including the Crimean War (1853-56), Russo-Turkish War (1877-78) and First Balkans War (1912-13). These defeats, along with rising nationalism and revolutions in Ottoman-controlled regions, resulted in gradual but significant losses of territory. With the Ottoman Empire shrinking and at risk of collapse, Europe’s other imperial powers clamoured to secure territory or influence in the region. Austria-Hungary hoped to expand into the Balkans; Russia moved to limit Austrian expansion while securing access to the Black Sea; Germany wanted to ensure the security and completion of its Berlin-to-Baghdad railway. Britain and France also had colonial and trade interests in the region. The ‘Eastern question’ – the issue of what would happen in eastern Europe as the Ottomans withdrew – was an important talking point of the late 19th century. These developments drew the Great Powers of Europe into the Balkan sphere, creating opportunities for rivalry and increased tensions. 1. Imperialism is a system where a powerful nation-state seizes or controls territories outside its own borders. These territories are claimed and governed as colonies. 2. Several European nations maintained empires in the decades before World War I. The British Empire was by far the largest, spanning around one-quarter of the globe at one point. 3. The pre-war period saw European powers scramble to acquire the new colonial possessions. Much of this occurred in Africa, where Britain, France and Germany all vied for land and control. 4. This ‘scramble for empire’ fuelled rivalry and led to several diplomatic incidents, such as two Moroccan crises that were largely precipitated by the German Kaiser. 5. The decline of another imperial power, the Ottoman Empire, attracted the attention of European powers, who sought territory, influence or access in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Title: “Imperialism as a cause of World War I” Which nation had the largest empire in 1914?At the beginning of the 20th century the British Empire covered more than 11,400,000 square miles of territory. This made it the largest empire the world had ever known.
Which countries had empires in 1914?The Central Powers, also known as the Central Empires, was one of the two main coalitions that fought in World War I (1914–18). It consisted of the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Bulgaria and was also known as the Quadruple Alliance.
Which of the great powers of 1914 had the biggest empire?The British Empire was by far the largest, spanning around one-quarter of the globe at one point. 3. The pre-war period saw European powers scramble to acquire the new colonial possessions. Much of this occurred in Africa, where Britain, France and Germany all vied for land and control.
Which country was most powerful in ww1?The first grouping were the three most powerful states—Great Britain, Germany, and France. The second grouping were lesser in rank, but remained significant for the period—Austria-Hungary and Russia. A sixth power was Italy, but this newly unified nation was unpredictable and still suffered from internal problems.
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