Arms Race

What was rearmament like before 1914?

As a result of increasing tensions, from 1900 all the Great Powers of Europe began increasing the sizes of their armed forces.

How much had Germany rearmed by 1914?

Germany had an army of almost two million men at the outbreak of war. It was the best trained and equipped in Europe. Germany had also increased the size of its navy in a naval race with Great Britain.

How much had Britain rearmed by 1914?

In 1914 Britain had a small, well equipped and well-trained volunteer army of around 150,000 men (the BEF). However, it had the biggest navy by far, beating Germany in a naval arms race in the years before the war.

How much had France rearmed by 1914?

France had a well equipped army of 1.3 million men. It had devised Plan 17 to attack Germany through Alsace-Lorraine if war occurred.

How much had Russia rearmed by 1914?

Russia had a large army of 1.4 million and hundreds of thousands of reserves. However, it consisted mostly of peasants who were poorly trained and very badly equipped.

How much had Austria-Hungary rearmed by 1914?

By the start of the war Austria-Hungary had a poorly equipped army of almost half a million men. It needed the military support of its larger ally, Germany.