Germany Before the First World War 1890 - 1914 HU68385

Germany Before the First World War 1890 - 1914
The construction of the Kiel Canal, 1887 - 1895. The huge Baltic Lock at Holtenau under construction. This lock controlled access between the Baltic Sea and the Canal.

The Kiel Canal, a 61 mile long waterway linking the North Sea at Brunsb�ttel, Germany to the Baltic Sea at Kiel-Holtenau, Germany was source of international tension from its inception. Its construction allowed the increasingly powerful German Imperial Navy to move rapidly from its Baltic ports to open sea without travelling through the waters of other countries. During 1907 - 1914, it was enlarged to accommodate the larger warships then being constructed with the intention of enabling the Imperial Germany Navy to surpass the power of the British Royal Navy. The consequent escalation of tension between Germany and Britain contributed to the outbreak of the First World War.