CheckouttheirvideoaboutelectricfishingnextafterthisonebeforedefeatinthefirstWorldWar, theGermanempireunderKaiserWilhelmthesecondhad a setofextremelyambitiousgoals.
Instead, hebelievedthattheweekSpanishcoloniesofCubaandPuertoRicowouldbebetteroffasGermancoloniesinsteadandwantedtotakethemtoexpand a GermaninfluenceintheCaribbeanandeventuallyintoSouthAmerica.
WilhelmknewthatifGermanywasgoingtotakeoverCubaandPuertoRicoinmentalwarwiththeUnitedStatesatsomepoint, sohedidthelogicalthinganddecidedthatthatwasjusttoocrazyandbackeddownexcept, no, justkidding.
Justlikeinthefirstplan, theGermanfleetwassupposedtoengageanddestroytheAmericanfleetin a decisivebattlefollowingThat's a twoprongednavalinvasionwiththegroundtroopswouldbeginwiththefirstprongedbeingfocusedaroundBoston.
TheKaiserjusthopedthatshellingNewYorkandoccupyingBostonwouldfurtherforceAmericaintothatweakbargainingpositionandthereforehelptoenforcehisclaimsonCuba, PuertoRicoandmaybeeven a baseinthePacificlikeGuamorthePhilippineswheneverthetermsofthepeacedealweresettledupon.
Andby 1904 BritainandFrancehadessentiallysigned a lightallianceandczaristRussiaandFrancehadsigned a firmalliancewith a greatwarinEuropeloomingsometimeonthehorizon, Wilhelm, thesecond, decidedtoshifthisandGermany's focustowardswinningthatwar.
Ifyou'restillleftwonderinghowtheKaiser's armieswouldhavefedthemselvesover a 25 daytransatlanticjourneyandthenforwhoknowshowlongwhileonAmericansoilyou'renotalone.