cell or ▁Bern hard ▁von ▁Bü low ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁Beth mann - H oll weg ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁succeed ▁him . ▁ ▁Chan cell or ▁ ▁In ▁foreign ▁policy ▁he ▁purs ued ▁a ▁policy ▁of ▁dét ente ▁with ▁Britain , ▁hoping ▁to ▁come ▁to ▁some ▁agreement ▁that ▁would ▁put ▁a ▁halt ▁to ▁the ▁two ▁countries ' ▁ru in ous ▁naval ▁arms ▁race ▁and ▁give ▁Germany ▁a ▁free ▁hand ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁France . ▁The ▁policy ▁failed , ▁largely ▁from ▁the ▁opposition ▁of ▁German ▁Naval ▁Minister ▁Alfred ▁von ▁Tir p itz . ▁Despite ▁the ▁increase ▁in ▁t ensions ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Mor oc can ▁Cris is ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 1 , ▁Beth mann - H oll weg ▁improved ▁relations ▁with ▁Britain ▁to ▁some ▁extent , ▁working ▁with ▁British ▁foreign ▁secretary ▁Sir ▁Edward ▁Grey ▁to ▁alle vi ate ▁t ensions ▁during ▁the ▁B alk an ▁Cris es ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 2 – 1 9 1 3 . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁learn ▁of ▁the ▁Sch lie ffen ▁Plan ▁until ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁after ▁he ▁had ▁received ▁the ▁Second ▁H ald ane ▁Mission . ▁He ▁negoti ated ▁treat ies ▁over ▁an ▁event ual ▁partition ▁of ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁colon ies ▁and ▁the ▁project ed ▁Berlin - Bag hd ad ▁railway , ▁the ▁latter ▁aim ed ▁in ▁part ▁at ▁se cur ing ▁B alk an ▁countries ' ▁support ▁for ▁a ▁German - O tt oman ▁al liance . ▁The ▁crisis ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁head ▁on