第一次世界大戰前德國外交政策與英德關係1888-1914

本文為第一次世界大戰前德意志帝國外交政策之研究，重點著眼於海外的擴張政策以及和英國之間在海外商業與殖民利益競逐的相關議題。時間範圍從威廉二世上台後的1888年至一次大戰開打前的1914年。前半部內容以當時德意志帝國與所謂的列強各國之間在外交上的競爭關係為主軸。德意志帝國在威廉二世上台後積極推行世界政策的外交新路線，即面臨了老牌海上帝國主義國家英國與新興強權日本等國的挑戰。這些國家對於殖民利益的虎視眈眈也造成其在外交發展上莫大的壓力。畢竟時勢所趨，這樣的情形在海外擴張也是個必須面對的挑戰。從十九世紀開啟的海外競逐可以看出各國為了其本身商業與經濟利益在世界舞台上相互爭奪的情況，這段期間持續至一次世界大戰後才又將此複雜的國際秩序又重整成另一個新的局面。外交關係的維持既是合作也是競爭，在俾斯麥的理論當中，唯有鞏固德國在歐陸強權的地位才能讓國家保留元氣抵禦外敵。無奈隨著工業進步與各種學說思想的發達，加上內部各項條件的發展等因素。使得德意志帝國自成立以來，在歷經前二十年的韜光養晦後也已經培養出一定的經濟基礎和工業實力，更讓威廉二世上台後有了發展海外擴張的實質條件。同時也隨著十九世紀末世界局勢與現實環境的影響，終於順理成章把德意志帝國實力推向海洋，成為在世界舞台中佔有一席之地的重要角色。而在這世界舞台上的競逐也於一次大戰結束後迅速告終。而本文的後半部內容談到德國於海外擴張的行動中面臨他國在外交上的衝突。當中闡述的另一重點是以英、德兩國在海外殖民的擴張政策中的相互關係為探討。並透過兩國所記錄之檔案文件來呈現當時的歷史情景並做更進一步的深入了解。從歷史觀之，德意志帝國的興衰，不也正應驗著在世界歷史的舞台中，大國崛起的榮耀與衰退也不斷的在新的時代裡交替著。

關鍵字

德意志帝國；世界政策；新路線；威廉二世；海外擴張；英德關係

並列摘要

The main purpose of this thesis is on the German foreign policy before the First World War. Since Wilhelm Ⅱ ascended the throne of the German empire in 1888, the new German government started to adopt a different policy in diplomacy. The new diplomatic policy about ”Weltpolitik” was the Neo-imperialism and focused on the oversea expansion in the later 1890s. The New Way ”Neuer Kurs” in the oversea expansion program was try to extend Germany's political and economic progress to its colonial settlements. When Germany built its Navy fleet and sought the colonial areas, they had to face a stronger challenge with Great Britain. Another important point of this thesis is Germany's diplomatic relationship with Britain. The Anglo-German issues and conflicts in oversea competition. Otherwise, due to widespread industrial development, Germany, the same as other European countries, aimed to become a major imperial power and derive commercial interests from outside. The oversea expansion by those European countries depended on industrial development during the end of the 19th century to the early 20th century. The German empire, however, also played an important role in international affairs during this period of time. Even though the new foreign policy led Germany onto the stage of world powers, it was finally, military development that brought the great empire to ”The Great War”. Maybe this unambiguous condition was Germany's inevitable result, and this consequence changed Germany's position in Europe eventually. In conclusion, many international powers were reconstructed and changed on the international order again after World War Ⅰ. Especially the German empire, rose and declined during this half century. Looking back to the history, not only for Germany but also for other European powers, this period is really a significant turning point.