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You’ll see the term Weltpolitik everywhere when studying Kaiser Wilhelm II’s Germany. Literally meaning ‘World Policy’, it was the ambitious, aggressive, and ultimately disastrous foreign policy that Germany pursued from the 1890s onwards. But what was it actually for? What were the Kaiser and his ministers trying to achieve? Understanding the aims behind Weltpolitik is crucial for AQA GCSE History. Examiners love to ask why Germany abandoned Bismarck’s cautious approach and adopted this new, confrontational strategy. This guide will take you beyond a simple definition. We will dissect the key aims of Weltpolitik, showing you how to explain the mixture of personal ambition, economic calculation,…