to ▁stop ▁the ▁tr end ▁of ▁what ▁the ▁advis ers ▁considered ▁Germany ’ s ▁taking ▁and ▁Britain ’ s ▁giving ." ▁ ▁Once ▁war ▁was ▁declared ▁in ▁late ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁Britain ▁and ▁its ▁al lies ▁prompt ly ▁moved ▁against ▁the ▁colon ies . ▁The ▁public ▁was ▁informed ▁that ▁German ▁colon ies ▁were ▁a ▁threat ▁because ▁" Every ▁German ▁col ony ▁has ▁a ▁powerful ▁wireless ▁station ▁— ▁they ▁will ▁talk ▁to ▁one ▁another ▁across ▁the ▁se as , ▁and ▁at ▁every ▁opportunity ▁they ▁[ G erman ▁ships ] ▁will ▁dash ▁from ▁cover ▁to ▁har ry ▁and ▁destroy ▁our ▁commerce , ▁and ▁maybe , ▁to ▁ra id ▁our ▁coast s ." ▁ ▁The ▁British ▁position ▁that ▁Germany ▁was ▁a ▁uniqu ely ▁brut al ▁and ▁cruel ▁colonial ▁power ▁origin ated ▁during ▁the ▁war ; ▁it ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁said ▁during ▁pe ac etime . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Pacific , ▁Britain ' s ▁al ly ▁Japan ▁declared ▁war ▁on ▁Germany ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁and ▁quickly ▁seized ▁several ▁of ▁Germany ' s ▁island ▁colon ies , ▁the ▁Mar iana , ▁Caroline ▁and ▁Marshall ▁Islands , ▁with ▁virt ually ▁no ▁resistance . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁only ▁in ▁remote ▁j ung le ▁regions ▁in ▁East ▁Africa ▁did ▁the ▁German ▁forces ▁hold ▁out . ▁ ▁South ▁Africa ' s ▁J . C . ▁Sm uts , ▁now ▁in ▁Britain ' s ▁small ▁War ▁Cab inet , ▁spoke ▁of ▁German ▁schemes ▁for ▁world ▁power , ▁militar isation ▁and ▁explo itation ▁of