The German people emerged on the European scene in spectacular fashion. Germany rapidly industrialised and on two occasions attempted to change the global balance of power. Medieval Germany, lying on the open Northern European plain, was divided into hundreds of competing kingdoms, principalities, dukedoms, bishoprics and free cities since the formation of the Roman Empire. Over a thousand years various kings and rulers attempted to unify the German states without success. As a result the German people engaged in many internal wars and conflicts amongst each other.

Otto Van Bismarck oversaw German unification which set the nation on the path to industrial supremacy. Beginning in 1884, Germany began establishing several colonies outside of Europe. Bismarck managed to achieve unification of the German lands which many had attempted for nearly a thousand years. Such unification meant German resources and minerals could all follow one unified policy and for once Germany could be domestically developed without facing any secessionist calls.

Germany’s rapid development placed it in direct conflict with Britain and by 1900 Germany matched the military prowess of Britain and competed with it in the colonisation of the world. Germany took full advantage of Serbia’s assassination of the heir to the Austria-Hungary Empire. Germany invaded France, broke its alliance with Russia and began invading Eastern Russia. Germany didn’t stop there and continued the invasion of Europe and when its military machine went into Belgium Britain mobilised for war and WW1 had begun. The British empires control of oil and the capturing of the rich oil fields of Baku on the Caspian Sea denied vital supplies to Germany and resulted in the eventual surrender of Germany.

The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 officially ended World War I between the Allied and Associated Powers and the German Empire. After six months of negotiations, Germany was forced to accept full responsibility for causing the war and, under the terms of agreement would make reparations to certain members of the Allies. Germany would also lose certain amount of its own territory to a number of surrounding countries, be stripped of all its overseas colonies, and its ability to make war again was limited by restrictions on the size of its military.

It was in such circumstances Hitler emerged, a rightwing fascist who believed Germany to be a great state. Hitler managed to unify the German masses on his vision, that Germany is a great state, and therefore needed a strong economy in order to achieve her potential, which arguably Hitler perceived, as a world power. The vision of a thousand-year Reich managed to capture the imagination of a large section of the German public, which motivated hundreds of thousands of them to work towards the aims of Nazism.

On the two occasions Germany embarked on becoming a world power through its war economy it quickly became a world power, the rapid rise of Nazi Germany was only halted through the mobilisation of the world’s powers through WW2.

German defeats in both the world wars have defined the nations post war policies. The help received from the US to curtail the possible shift towards Communism resulted in the US to redevelop Germany and ever since Germany has developed a largely economic centric foreign policy viewed from the lens of Europe. Germany continues to work in partnerships due to its historical legacy and uses its economic strength to strengthen Germany. This has not resulted in political influence as the post war generation views this as a return to its colonial legacy. Germany after reunification expanded economically through a distinct set of economic policies with virtual hegemony in Eastern Europe. During the Cold War, when much of Eastern European business dried up, Germany became the largest Western trading partner of every country within the former Soviet Union. When the communist system collapsed German bankers and industrialists moved quickly to fill the vacuum. This time it was not tanks and soldiers that invaded Eastern Europe but money and industry.

Germanys return to prominence after WW2 has been due to tentative political policies. The US destroyed Germany’s military and manufacturing base after WW2; however since reunification Germany has begun showing interest in military and political aspirations that have global dimensions. The best example of this is the increasing participation in NATO activities in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan. Germany has participated with France and Britain in the multilateral visits to Iran. Which put pressure on Iran to become signatory to an additional protocol that allows unplanned inspection of its nuclear installations. Germany also played an active role in the successful mediation in the issue of exchanging prisoners between Israel and Hezbollah. Germany also deployed a naval force in the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 2006. Its deployment consisted of two frigates - the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Karlsruhe - supported by helicopters, supply ships and patrol boats, with about 1,500 men on board. This is Germany’s largest military deployment since WW2.27

Germany today is the worlds 4th largest economy and the largest economy in Europe making it the economic powerhouse in Europe. Germany until the recent rise of China was regularly the world’s largest exporter. Germany has a history of being world power, however there are a number of stumbling blocks that hinder Germany, which if overcome would allow Germany once again to be a world power:

- Through a variety of polices German society through its education curriculum, public opinion, literature and culture has come to despise its history of attempting to dominate Europe. Germans view their history of attempting to shift the global balance of power as something that it needs to continually apologize for and as a result it works with Europe and the international community on international issues. Ever since Hitler attempt to conquer Europe, Germany has not pursued an independent foreign policy. This apologetic strategy will always stop Germany from becoming a world power.

- Since WW2 Germany has pursued a European centric foreign policy. Due to its attempts at conquering Europe and the subsequent wars Germany has come to view the world through the lens of Europe. Germany coordinated with France in setting up the European Union and whilst it is the largest economy in Europe it is politically weak inside the EU. France is the forefather to the European Union, after WW2 France perceived the United States and particularly the US dominance of European foreign and defence policies through NATO, as a threat that could make Paris irrelevant. At the time, the French saw their country as a key world power that did not need hefty alliances, and that needed to stand apart from the United States. In 1950 French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed a community to integrate the coal and steel industries of Europe - two elements necessary to make weapons of war. Similarly the UK worked to strengthen itself in the European Union when the détente was agreed between the Soviet Union and the US in 1961. The EU is a tool used by these nations to achieve their own national interests; Germany has made the EU its national interests. Until this is not replaced with global aims and ambitions this will act as an impediment to Germany.

- Germany’s economic driven foreign policy has turned the nation into a trade powerhouse which has stifled development in key industrial sectors that would aid Germany in becoming a world power. Germany took full advantage in the fall of the Soviet Union and its companies cornered most of the markets of the former Soviet republics. Germany continues to excel in the production of automobiles, machine tools, and chemicals. German industry continues to be dominated by small to medium sized manufacturing firms, which specialise in niche products. The German president Horst Kohler, was forced to resign for stating the obvious in May 2010, however he encapsulated Germany’s economic driven foreign policy: "In my estimation, though, we—including [German] society as a whole—are coming to the general understanding that, given this [strong] focus and corresponding dependency on exports, a country of our size needs to be aware that where called for or in an emergency, military deployment, too, is necessary if we are to protect our interests such as ensuring free trade routes or preventing regional instabilities which are also certain to negatively impact our ability to safeguard trade, jobs and income. All of this should be discussed and I think the path we are on is not so bad."28

- Germany’s lack of mineral resources never stopped it from dominating and conquering most of the European continent. This was possible as Germany had global ambitions. Its political aims mobilised the nation to focus on building its defensive and offensive capabilities, due to this it menaced Europe and it took the two world wars to halt German expansion. The technology used for missiles came from rockets the Nazi’s developed which were used to develop cruise missiles and ballistic missiles after WW2. At the heart of America’s attempts to be the first into space was the kidnapping of Wernher von Braun, the Nazi rocket expert, who eventually became director of NASA and constructed US ballistic missiles. It was also Germany who invented the worlds first fighter jet, the Messerschmitt Me 262, which became the blueprint for all post WW2 jets. Towards the end of WW2, Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin said, “It is our inflexible purpose to destroy German militarism and Nazism and to ensure that Germany will never again be able to disturb the peace of the world. We are determined to disarm and disband all German armed forces; break up for all time the German General Staff, remove or destroy all German military equipment, eliminate or control all German industry that could be used for military production.” Germany today only has 247,000 troops, its military industry produces mainly armored vehicles, with submarines and warships. Germany has the ability to develop nuclear weapons very quickly if it desired, but lacks the political will or ambition. Whilst Germany’s military industry is behind the other world powers, Germany is still in a position where with the political will it can rapidly build upon its existing industrial base and challenge the US. However currently whilst Germany posses the ingredients to be a world power, it does not posses the key ingredient – political will.

Germany on two occasions embarked on becoming a world power. It achieved this thorough industrial development and through rapidly constructing its military industry and mobilising for war. Germany today represents an economic power, which has large exports; however this has not translated into political influence. Germany who has always had a shortage of mineral resources overcame this through expansion and annexation. Unlike Britain and France who use the European Union to further their own interests, Germany has not developed policies for German interests, but rather its policies are to strengthen Europe. Until this shift takes place Germany will increase its prosperity through its economic strength but will never be the world’s superpower and never be in a position to challenge the US. Germany has an established industry, which places it in a distinct advantage over some of the other potential challengers to the US. It also has a history of being a world power. The political and economic facts are all in Germany’s favour, Germany just needs to realise this.