英布战争期间,德国奉行中立政策,严格约束本国官员、商人行为,拒绝援助布尔人和参与俄国所主张的集体干涉行动。德国中立政策的出台与执行是出于所谓最大限度维护自身利益的考虑。借助中立,德国暂时性地获取了巨大的战略利益:独占西萨摩亚,强化了太平洋地区的影响;顺利通过海军法案,加强海军建设,加速世界政策的执行。但是中立也加重了英国对德国外交政策的怀疑,加深了两国间的不信任感。德国谋求实现与英国合作的计划破产,俾斯麦所担忧的两面夹击状况出现了。 During the British-Burundi war, Germany pursued its neutral policy by strictly binding its officials and businessmen, refusing to aid the Boers and participating in the collective intervention advocated by Russia. The introduction and implementation of Germany’s neutral policy stemmed from the so-called considerations of safeguarding its own interests to the maximum. By virtue of its neutrality, Germany has temporarily gained enormous strategic benefits: its exclusive conquest of Western Samoa has strengthened its influence in the Pacific region; the smooth passage of the Navy Act strengthens the building of the navy and accelerates the implementation of world policies. But neutrality also aggravated Britain’s doubts about Germany’s foreign policy and deepened the sense of trust between the two countries. Bismarck, a bipartisan situation that Bismarck feared, appeared as Germany went bankrupt on its plan to work with Britain.