explain why an arms race developed in europe early in the twentieth century.?

Answer 1

Germany is a relatively modern nation that formed under the leadership of Prussia in the mid 1800s. Therefore, it was a bit of a late comer in the last great expansion of empire building that took place during the period between the Franco-Prussian War (1870) and the outbreak of World War I in 1914.

Naval power was a crucial component for maintaining far-flung empires in Africa and Asia, and naturally the British, the strongest power in the world with the strongest navy, was particularly sensitive to any country who sought to rival its position. Technology also became a major concern, as modern battleships, like the HMS Dreadnought, appeared on the scene, literally making most older warships obsolete. These two factors, advances in naval technology and the Germany's desire to be considered on the of the "big boys" among the traditional colonial powers, triggered an extensive arms race, primarily between Germany and Britain.

Answer 2

Germany and Britain were competitors. For Britain, the Royal Navy was most important. Germany began building great warships. In WWI, at the battle of the Jutland Bank, the German Kriegsmarine was defeated by the Royal Navy, went back into harbor, and never fought again in that war.