ABSTRACT
In the aftermath of the Boer War, arguments for or against the teaching of military drill to the youth of the country reached new heights. It is not difficult to see why this should have been so. The war itself stimulated debate on military matters, and the very poor physical state of so many volunteers was a cause of national concern. But there was too a political dimension, as Britain sought to extricate itself from a position of'splendid isolation' and to seek more positive relationships with continental rivals. In 1904 Britain agreed an entente cordiale with France, and a somewhat looser arrangement with Russia three years later, neither of which involved any binding military co-operation. A rival grouping, the Triple Alliance, was formed by Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy, though the latter was to drift away later. So long as there was an approximate balance between the two alliances the likelihood of a major European conflict was contained, but the possibility of British intervention raised the stakes, certainly in the opinion of Germany. Europe was splitting into two as far as the major powers were concerned: an ominous threat to future peace. For Britain, the possibility of military involvement in Europe increased the need to address the modernization and reform of the armed forces to face different challenges from those experienced in policing the empire. Inevitably, attention was focussed on issues such as conscription and the military training of youth.
