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 tha