德意志民族以引人注目的方式登上了欧洲的历史舞台。德国迅速实现了工业化，并两次试图改变全球的力量格局。中世纪的德意志位于开阔的北欧平原上，自罗马帝国形成以来，便被分割为数百个相互竞争的王国、公国、大公国、主教区和自由城市。一千多年间，历代国王和统治者曾试图统一德意志诸邦，但均未成功。因此，德意志民族彼此之间爆发了许多内战和冲突。

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.

奥托·冯·俾斯麦主持了德意志统一，使德国走上了工业霸权的道路。从1884年起，德国开始在欧洲以外建立若干殖民地。俾斯麦实现了德意志诸邦的统一，而这一目标许多人曾为之努力了近千年。这种统一意味着德国的资源和矿产得以遵循同一的政策统筹运用，德国终于能够在国内稳定发展，而不必面对分离主义的呼声。

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.

德国的迅速发展使其与英国直接发生冲突。到1900年，德国的军事实力已与英国相当，并在世界殖民争夺中与英国展开竞争。塞尔维亚刺杀奥匈帝国皇储一事，被德国充分加以利用。德国入侵法国，破坏了其与俄国的同盟，并开始入侵俄国东部。德国并未就此止步，继续侵略欧洲；当其军队进入比利时时，英国动员备战，第一次世界大战由此爆发。大英帝国对石油的控制，以及对里海之滨巴库丰富油田的占领，切断了德国的重要物资供应，最终导致德国投降。

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.

1919年的《凡尔赛条约》正式结束了协约国与参战国同德意志帝国之间的第一次世界大战。经过六个月的谈判，德国被迫承认自己对战争的爆发负有全部责任，并根据协议条款向协约国的某些成员国支付赔款。德国还将失去部分本国领土，这些领土被划归周边的若干国家；其所有海外殖民地也被剥夺；此外，德国的军事规模受到限制，其再次发动战争的能力因此受到约束。

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.

正是在这样的环境下,希特勒崛起了。他是一位右翼法西斯分子,坚信德国是一个伟大的国家。希特勒成功地将德国民众团结在他的愿景之下:德国是一个伟大的国家,因此需要强大的经济才能实现其潜力,而希特勒或许正是把德国视为一个世界强国。"千年帝国"的愿景吸引了德国大部分民众的想象,激励着数十万人为纳粹主义的目标而努力。

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.

在德国两次试图通过战争经济跻身世界强国的过程中，它都迅速崛起为世界强国；纳粹德国的迅速崛起，直到第二次世界大战中世界列强的动员才得以遏止。

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.

两次世界大战中德国的失败决定了该国战后的政策。美国为遏制可能向共产主义转变的趋势提供了援助,并因此帮助重建德国,此后德国形成了一种以经济为中心、从欧洲视角出发的外交政策。由于历史遗留问题,德国持续通过伙伴关系开展工作,并利用其经济实力来壮大自身。然而,这并未转化为政治影响力,因为战后一代人将此视为一种对其殖民历史的回归。 两德统一后,德国通过一套独特的经济政策扩展了经济版图,在东欧实际上取得了霸权地位。冷战期间,东欧的大部分商业活动陷于停滞,德国则成为原苏联境内每个国家最大的西方贸易伙伴。共产主义体系崩溃后,德国的银行家和工业家迅速填补了这一真空。这一次入侵东欧的不是坦克和士兵,而是资金和工业。

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.

德国在二战后重新崛起,得益于谨慎稳健的政治政策。二战后,美国摧毁了德国的军事和制造业基础;然而自两德统一以来,德国开始表现出具有全球维度的军事和政治抱负。最突出的例子是德国越来越多地参与北约在波斯尼亚、科索沃和阿富汗的行动。德国与法国、英国一道参与了对伊朗的多边访问,对伊朗施加压力,促使其签署一项附加议定书,允许对其核设施进行不事先通知的检查。德国还在以色列与真主党交换战俘的问题上发挥了积极作用,并成功斡旋。2006年,德国还在以色列入侵黎巴嫩期间部署了一支海军力量。该部署包括两艘护卫舰——梅克伦堡-前波莫瑞州号和卡尔斯鲁厄号——并辅以直升机、补给舰和巡逻艇,共有约1500人随舰出动。这是德国自二战以来规模最大的一次军事部署。27

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

德国如今是世界第四大经济体，也是欧洲最大的经济体，使其成为欧洲的经济强国。在中国近年崛起之前，德国long期是世界上最大的出口国。德国历史上曾是世界强国，然而仍有若干障碍阻碍着德国；若能克服这些障碍，德国便有望再次成为世界强国：

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:

通过一系列政策，德国社会借助其教育课程、公众舆论、文学和文化，已逐渐开始鄙视本国试图主宰欧洲的历史。德国人把自己曾试图改变全球力量平衡的历史视为需要不断为之道歉的事情，因此在国际问题上与欧洲和国际社会合作。自希特勒试图征服欧洲以来，德国就未曾推行独立的外交政策。这种致歉式的战略将始终阻止德国成为一个世界强国。

- 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.

自二战以来,德国的外交政策一直以欧洲为中心。由于德国曾试图征服欧洲,并随之而来的战争,德国习惯于从欧洲的角度看待世界。德国与法国合作建立了欧洲联盟,尽管它是欧洲最大的经济体,但在欧盟内部政治上却较为薄弱。法国是欧盟的奠基者。二战后,法国认为美国,尤其是美国通过北约主导欧洲的外交和防务政策,是一种可能使巴黎失去重要性的威胁。当时,法国视自己为不需要庞大同盟、并需要与美国保持距离的世界大国。1950年,法国外交部长罗伯特·舒曼提议成立一个共同体,以整合欧洲的煤炭和钢铁工业,这两者都是制造战争武器的必要要素。同样,1961年苏联与美国达成缓和(détente)之后,英国也努力加强自身在欧洲联盟中的地位。欧盟是这些国家用来实现各自国家利益的工具;德国已将欧盟视为其国家利益。在这一状况被全球性的目标与抱负所取代之前,它都将成为德国的障碍。

- 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.

德国以经济为导向的外交政策使该国成为贸易强国，但这也抑制了关键工业部门的发展，而这些部门本可帮助德国成为世界强国。苏联解体之际，德国充分利用了这一机会，其企业占据了前苏联各加盟共和国的大部分市场。德国在汽车、机床和化工产品生产方面继续保持优势。德国工业仍以中小型制造企业为主，这些企业专注于利基产品。2010年5月，德国总统霍斯特·科勒因说出显而易见的事实而被迫辞职，但他概括了德国以经济为导向的外交政策："不过依我的估计，我们——包括整个［德国］社会在内——正在逐渐形成一种共识：鉴于我们高度侧重出口并由此产生的依赖，像我们这样规模的国家必须清楚认识到，在需要时或紧急情况下，军事部署同样必不可少，如果我们要维护自身利益，例如确保自由贸易航线或防止可能对我们保障贸易、就业和收入能力产生负面影响的地区不稳定。所有这些都应当进行讨论，我认为我们目前所走的道路并不算太糟。"28

- 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

- 德国缺乏矿产资源，却从未妨碍它统治并征服欧洲大陆的大部分地区。这之所以可能，是因为德国怀有全球性的野心。其政治目标动员全国集中力量建设其防御和进攻能力，因此它威胁着欧洲，直到两次世界大战才遏止了德国的扩张。导弹所用的技术源自纳粹开发的火箭，二战后这些技术被用于发展巡航导弹和弹道导弹。美国争先进入太空的核心举措，是绑架了纳粹火箭专家韦恩赫尔·冯·布劳恩，他最终成为美国国家航空航天局（NASA）的主任，并参与建造了美国的弹道导弹。世界上第一架战斗机梅塞施密特Me 262也是德国发明的，它成为二战后所有喷气式飞机的蓝本。二战接近尾声时，温斯顿·丘吉尔、富兰克林·罗斯福和约瑟夫·斯大林曾声明：“我们坚定不移的目标是摧毁德国的军国主义和纳粹主义，并确保德国永远无法再扰乱世界和平。我们决心解除并解散德国所有武装部队；永久瓦解德国总参谋部；移除或销毁德国所有军事装备；消除或控制一切可用于军事生产的德国工业。”如今德国只有247,000名军队人员，其军事工业主要生产装甲车辆，以及潜艇和军舰。如果德国愿意，它有能力迅速研发核武器，但缺乏政治意愿或野心。尽管德国的军事工业落后于其他世界大国，但只要有政治意愿，德国仍可迅速在现有工业基础上发展，向美国发起挑战。然而，目前德国虽具备成为世界大国的条件，却缺少关键要素——政治意愿。

- 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.

德国曾两次试图成为世界强国。它的途径是通过彻底的工业发展，以及迅速建设军事工业并动员备战。今天的德国是一个经济强国，出口规模庞大；然而，这并未转化为政治影响力。德国长期缺乏矿产资源，却通过扩张和吞并来弥补这一不足。与英国和法国利用欧盟来推进自身利益不同，德国并未制定以德国利益为核心的政策，而是把政策重心放在加强欧洲上。在这一转变发生之前，德国将借助其经济实力增进繁荣，但永远不会成为世界超级大国，也永远不会有能力挑战美国。德国拥有成熟的工业体系，这使其相较于美国的一些其他潜在挑战者具有明显优势。它也有作为世界强国的历史。政治与经济的种种事实都对德国有利，德国只是需要认识到这一点。

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.