Imperial rivalries and a naval arms race between Great Britain and Germany heightened European tensions in the decades leading up to 1914.

Germany, unified only in 1871, sought its own place in the sun to compete with the sprawling empires of France and Britain. This ambition triggered a fierce naval race and colonial clashes, such as the 1911 Agadir Crisis. The resulting atmosphere of mutual distrust made European leaders believe a major war was inevitable.