The gamble failed and the Germans were themselves defeated by the Western Allies. Instead, in March 1918, the German army struck on the Western Front in an attempt to knock Britain and France out of the war. Had they done so, France might have made peace and the anti-German coalition collapsed. The size and wealth of the conquered Eastern territories easily outweighed what would have been lost had the Germans withdrawn from Belgium and France. By the end of the war, the Germans were even casting covetous eyes on their ally, Austria-Hungary. Campaigns in 1915-17 conquered Poland and portions of Russia. Germany now controlled most of Belgium and some economically important parts of northern France. In 1914 fate seemed to have offered Germany the opportunity to turn dreams into imperial reality. Some important figures in Germany, including industrialists, politicians, and the Kaiser himself, favoured a radical approach. It is unclear whether Germany went to war to achieve these aims, or whether, having found themselves at war, they began to think about what they would do with the victory they hoped to win. So might desire to strike against Russia before it had finished rebuilding its military strength after its defeat by Japan in 1905. Moreover, a wish to unite the nation behind the government may have been a motive. Germany, painted into a diplomatic corner by Wilhelm's bellicosity, saw this as a way of breaking up the Entente, for France and Britain might refuse to support Russia. The German government issued the so-called 'blank cheque' on 5-6 July, offering unconditional support to the Austrians, despite the risk of war with Russia. The crumbling Austro-Hungarian Empire decided, after the assassination on 28 June, to take action against Serbia, which was suspected of being behind the murder. In the summer of 1914 the Germans were prepared, at the very least, to run the risk of causing a large-scale war. Europe was divided into two armed camps: the Entente Powers and the Central Powers, and their populations began to see war not merely as inevitable but even welcome. Within ten years, Britain had concluded agreements, albeit limited, with her two major colonial rivals, France and Russia. Recognising a major threat to her security, Britain abandoned the policy of holding aloof from entanglements with continental powers. In 1898, Germany began to build up its navy, although this could only alarm the world's most powerful maritime nation, Britain. Germany's western and eastern neighbours, France and Russia, signed an alliance in 1894 united by fear and resentment of Berlin. He decided against renewing a treaty with Russia, effectively opting for the Austrian alliance. Under Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany moved from a policy of maintaining the status quo to a more aggressive stance.
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