The Conservative Party and Anglo-German relations, 1905 - 1914

Preface viii I would like to take this opportunity to thank a number of people who have helped along this long journey: R.A.C. Parker, for sparking the idea to begin my research and Dr. Ruth Henig, my Ph.D. supervisor, at the time of completion -a great influence and inspiration. I would also like to thank Professor David McEvoy, Director of the School of Social Science, who helped me in carrying out most of the archival research for this project. I am also grateful for the generous support of the University's Research Committee. I would also like to single out for very special praise Dr Nick White, Reader in Imperial History, with whom I have shared a room at university for longer than we both care to remember and who pushed me to finish off the thesis and the book. In addition, he has provided me with much intellectual and academic stimulation and also a great many laughs over the years. My other colleagues in the History Department at Liverpool John Moores have also provided support and encouragement. But the whole project would not have been possible without the support, loyalty and love of Ann, my wife. Finally, I must mention my dear old dad, Francis, who died on 11 August 2006, aged 82, after a very long illness. I write this less than a month after his death. I could write many words about this man: he helped so many people as he passed along in his life and without the challenging intellectual stimulation he provided at home I would not be writing this and you would not be reading it. Quite fittingly, the book is dedicated to his memory. Offering first major study of the views of the Conservative Party towards the key aspects of Anglo-German relations from 1905 to 1914, it examines the Conservative response to the German threat, and argues that it showed a marked absence of open hostility towards Germany. The Conservative Party and Anglo-German Relations, 1905-14 provides the first ever major study examining of the views of the Conservative Party towards the key aspects of Anglo-German relations from 1905 to 1914. Drawing on a wide variety of original sources, Frank McDonough examines the Conservative response to the German threat in a number of key spheres of poltical activity: leadership, parliamentary debate, electioneering, pressure group activity and policy making. He argues that the response of the Conservative Party towards Germany, whether in connection with foreign policy, trade rivalry, the naval race and the conscription controversy showed a marked absence of open hostility towards Germany. Overall, this important new study provides a powerful and overdue corrective to the traditional depiction of the Conservative Party in opposition as 'Scaremongers' and the chief source of Germanophobic views among the British political parties Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 9 Introduction......Page 12 1 The Nature and Organisation of Conservative Foreign and Defence Questions at Westminster......Page 27 2 Leadership: (1) A.J. Balfour and Anglo-German Relations......Page 46 3 Leadership: (2) Andrew Bonar Law and Anglo-German Relations......Page 64 4 The Views of the Conservative Party at Westminster towards Anglo-German Relations, 1905–1914......Page 80 5 The Role of the German Threat in the Propaganda and Electioneering Tactics of the Conservative Party at the Two General Elections of 1910......Page 96 6 Extra Parliamentary Pressure Groups and Germany......Page 116 7 The Conservative Party and the Decision for War in 1914......Page 138 Conclusion......Page 149 The Key Characters......Page 155 Notes......Page 164 Bibliography......Page 184 A......Page 197 B......Page 198 C......Page 200 E......Page 202 G......Page 203 I......Page 205 L......Page 206 M......Page 207 N......Page 208 R......Page 209 S......Page 210 W......Page 211 X......Page 212 "The Conservative Party and Anglo-German Relations, 1905-1914 provides the first ever major study examining the views of the Conservative Party towards the key aspects of Anglo-German relations from 1905 to 1914. Drawing on a wide variety of original sources, Frank McDonough examines the Conservative response to the German threat in a number of crucial spheres of political activity: leadership, parliamentary debate, electioneering, pressure-group activity and policy making. He argues that the response of the Conservative Party towards Germany, whether in connection with foreign policy, trade rivalry, the naval race or the conscription controversy, showed a marked absence of open hostility towards Germany. Overall, this study provides a powerful and overdue corrective to the traditional depiction of the Conservative Party in opposition as 'Scaremongers' and the chief source of Germanophobic views among the British political parties."--Jacket The Conservative Party and Anglo-German Relations, 1905-14 provides the first ever major study examining of the views of the Conservative Party towards the key aspects of Anglo-German relations from 1905 to 1914. Drawing on a wide variety of original sources, Frank McDonough examines the Conservative response to the German threat in a number of key spheres of political activity: leadership, parliamentary debate, electioneering, pressure group activity and policy making. He argues that the response of the Conservative Party towards Germany, whether in connection with foreign policy, trade rivalry, the naval race and the conscription controversy showed a marked absence of open hostility towards Germany. Overall, this important new study provides a powerful and overdue corrective to the traditional depiction of the Conservative Party in opposition as 'Scaremongers' and the chief source of Germanophobic views among the British political parties The Nature And Organisation Of Conservative Foreign And Defence Questions At Westminster -- Leadership : (1) A.j. Balfour And Anglo-german Relations -- Leadership : (2) Andrew Bonar Law And Anglo-german Relations -- The Views Of The Conservative Party At Westminster Towards Anglo-german Relations, 1905-1914 -- The Role Of The German Threat In The Propaganda And Electioneering Tactics Of The Conservative Party At The Two General Elections Of 1910 -- Extra Parliamentary Pressure Groups And Germany -- The Conservative Party And The Decision For War In 1914. Frank Mcdonough. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 153-185) And Index. The first ever major study examining of the views of the Conservative Party towards the key aspects of Anglo-German relations from 1905 to 1914. Drawing on a wide variety of original sources, it examines the Conservative response to the German threat, and argues that the response of the Conservative Party towards Germany showed a marked absence of open hostility towards Germany. Overall, this important new study provides a powerful and overdue corrective to the traditional depiction of the Conservative Party in opposition as 'Scaremongers' and the chief source of Germanophobic views among the British political parties.