what was the relation between britain france and germany pre 1914 (world war 1)?

Answer 1

The United Kingdom and France were, from 1904, allied in the "entente cordiale", which also included (Tsarist) Russia. Germany was in an opposing block of central powers along with Austria-Hungary and Italy (Italy's position was dubious, she changed sides during the First World War).

The situation was complicated because King George V and Kaiser Wilhelm II were cousins, along with the Tsar of Russia. In fact a squadron of British battleships visited Kiel in Summer 1914 and the Kaiser, as an Admiral in the British navy, was nominally in command (and not so nominally when he was invited to dinner and ran rather boisterous after-dinner entertainment)! There were quite a few links between Britain and Germany, e.g. at that time Germany was arguably the world leader in science and many academics had spent time studying in Germany - English scientists before 1914 more or less routinely knew German just as German (and other non-UK) scientists routinely use English today.

Arguably one of the major causes of the First World War was the Kaiser's personal jealousy of UK naval power and colonies. The Kaiser had a withered arm for which he compensated with a very competitive and rather petty personality. However, there were also strategic issues: the UK (specifically the Navy under their then First Lord, one Winston Churchill) was not willing to let the Germans control the Channel by invading Belgium and potentially taking the French channel ports.

Answer 2

Before the World War the relations between the big three in Europe had always been in flux and that tendency had always been the bases for the theory of the balance of power. As a result of those intrigues frail alliances had become the dangerous web that created the undercurrent of the War!

Answer 3

The relation between them was not very sincere and open,because all they wanted was to take the advantage of exploiting tangible properties of Asia,Middle-East and Africa as they are doing doing today at the expense of hundreds of thousands of innocent people in Iraq,Afghanistanand in Africa.