ed ▁the ▁poor ▁state ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Army , ▁which ▁were ▁then ▁addressed , ▁and ▁Britain ▁concentr ated ▁on ▁colonial ▁expansion ▁and ▁took ▁no ▁further ▁part ▁in ▁European ▁wars ▁until ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁The ▁German ▁Empire ▁( Second ▁Reich ) ▁and ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁( 1 9 1 4 – 1 9 1 8 ): ▁Under ▁Chan cell or ▁Otto ▁von ▁B ism ar ck , ▁Germany ▁had ▁been ▁un ified ▁between ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁and ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁and ▁then ▁had ▁seen ▁ 4 0 ▁years ' ▁rapid ▁industrial , ▁military , ▁and ▁colonial ▁expansion . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁the ▁Sch lie ffen ▁Plan ▁for ▁conqu ering ▁France ▁in ▁eight ▁weeks ▁was ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁sub j ug ation ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire , ▁leaving ▁Germany ▁the ▁master ▁of ▁Mit tele uropa ▁( Cent ral ▁Europe ). ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁event , ▁France , ▁Britain , ▁Russia , ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁fought ▁Germany ▁to ▁a ▁stand st ill , ▁to ▁defeat , ▁and ▁to ▁a ▁hum ili ating ▁peace ▁settlement ▁at ▁Vers a illes ▁( 1 9 1 9 ) ▁and ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁Germany ' s ▁un stable ▁We imar ▁Republic ▁( 1 9 1 9 – 3 3 ), ▁in ▁a ▁pre l ude ▁to ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁The ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁and ▁the ▁Cub an ▁Miss ile ▁Cris is ▁( 1 9 6 2 ): ▁The