Germany wanted that part of Russia which was along the Baltic Sea.  The part of Germany adjoining this, called East Prussia, is the stronghold of the Prussian Junkers, or landed nobility.  These people already own great estates in the Baltic provinces of Russia.  Germany wished to govern this German-owned land and provide a place to which her surplus population could emigrate and still be in German territory.  The Junkers were especially anxious for this to come about as it would greatly increase their power in Germany.

“Pan-Germanists” is the name given to a group of German leaders who aimed especially to bring all German-speaking peoples into the German Empire.  In general, however, the same leaders aimed to bring under German control all the districts that have been mentioned above, together with the Balkan states and other lands.

Germany wanted more colonies.—­Germany’s commercial expansion came after most of the world had been divided among the other nations.  She thought she must have more colonies to provide her with raw materials and to give her markets for some of her surplus manufactures.  Other reasons why Germany wanted colonies were that she might obtain more food, and that she might establish coaling stations for her navy, so that it could protect her commerce, especially her food-carrying ships.  As the war has shown, Germany can hardly produce a full supply of food for her own people.

The easiest way to get colonies seemed to be by making war against some nation that already possessed them, in the hope that a victorious Germany could seize the colonies she desired.  On the other hand, without war, she had gained some large colonies and was assured of others in Africa, and she had secured a prevailing influence over the immense domains of Turkey in Asia.  By 1914 the Germans had more than half completed a railroad through Turkey to the Persian Gulf, and expected soon to dominate the eastern trade by the Berlin-Bagdad route.

[Illustration:  The Berlin-Bagdad railway]

Germany wanted “A place in the sun.”—­Germany was acknowledged to be the strongest nation in continental Europe.  Her position as a world power, however, was disputed by Great Britain, both by reason of the latter’s control of the sea through her enormous fleet, and by reason of Great Britain’s numerous colonies all over the world.  It was galling to German pride to have to coal her ships at English coaling stations.  She wanted stations of her own.  By bringing on a war that would humble France to the dust and make Belgium a part of Germany, thus giving her a chance to seize the colonies of France and Belgium, Germany would at once attain a position in the world’s affairs which would enable her to challenge the power of any nation on earth.