Dreadnought (book) facts for kids
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| Author | Robert K. Massie |
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| Country | England |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | Random House |
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Publication date
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1991 |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 1007 |
| ISBN | 0-394-52833-6 |
| OCLC | 23287851 |
| 940.3/11 20 | |
| LC Class | D517 .M37 1991 |
| Followed by | Castles of Steel: Britain, Germany, and the Winning of the Great War at Sea |
Dreadnought: Britain, Germany, and the Coming of the Great War is a non-fiction book from 1991 by Robert K. Massie. It explores the growing tensions in Europe during the decades before World War I. The book especially focuses on the exciting race between Britain and Germany to build the most powerful navy. A follow-up book, Castles of Steel: Britain, Germany, and the Winning of the Great War at Sea, was published in 2004. It covers the naval battles between these two nations during the war.
Contents
Understanding the Road to World War I
This book takes you on a journey through history, starting from the birth of Queen Victoria. It explains how England and Germany developed leading up to the start of World War I. The author, Robert K. Massie, uses many old letters and diaries. This helps him create a vivid picture of the people and events from that time.
Key Leaders and Their Roles
The book introduces you to many important figures. One key person is Kaiser William II of Germany. He was a powerful leader. The book shares details about his childhood, like how he had to take riding lessons even with a weak arm. This shows his determination.
Other important leaders you'll learn about include:
- William I
- Alfred von Tirpitz
- Lord Salisbury
- Edward VII
- Otto von Bismarck
- Joseph Chamberlain
- Arthur Balfour
- H.H. Asquith
- David Lloyd George
- Sir Edward Grey
- Winston Churchill
Even less known figures, like Georg Leo von Caprivi, a German Chancellor, are described. You learn about their lives and how they influenced history.
A big part of the book focuses on the development of the British Navy. It explains how leaders like Jackie Fisher helped build stronger ships. The book details the creation of the famous battleship, HMS Dreadnought. This ship was so advanced it changed naval warfare forever. You'll discover that "Dreadnought" was a name used for British warships since the time of Elizabeth I.
On the German side, the book describes the Tirpitz Plan. This was Germany's strategy to build a powerful navy. It also explains how the Imperial German government managed to get the money for this huge shipbuilding effort. This naval race was a major reason for the growing tension between Britain and Germany.
Important Events Leading to War
The book also covers several key events that added to the rising tensions:
- The Kruger Telegram: A message from Kaiser William II that angered Britain.
- The Boer War: A conflict in South Africa that involved Britain.
- The Boxer Rebellion: An uprising in China where several European powers, including Britain and Germany, intervened.
All these events, along with the naval arms race, created a very unstable situation in Europe. The book culminates with the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. This event, which happened in 1914, was the spark that ignited World War I. The book shares emotional accounts, like that of Margot Asquith, the Prime Minister's wife. She describes the sadness and fear as war became unavoidable.
The book is divided into several parts that help readers understand the complex history:
- Part I: The German Challenge
- Part II: The End of Splendid Isolation
- Part III: The Navy
- Part IV: Britain and Germany: Politics and Growing Tension, 1906–1910
- Part V: The Road to Armageddon
