In October 1908, Britain's Daily Telegraph published an exclusive interview with German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II, intended to smooth over growing Anglo-German naval rivalries and foster goodwill. Instead, it triggered one of the greatest diplomatic disasters of the early 20th century. Speaking without consulting his foreign ministry, the Kaiser proclaimed that the British were 'mad as March hares' for doubting his friendship, claimed he was one of the few Germans who actually liked England, and boasted that he had personally drawn up the military plans used by Britain to win the Boer War.
Furthermore, he casually insulted Russia and France by claiming he had rejected their secret proposals to unite against Britain. The reaction was immediate and catastrophic. The British public viewed his statements as patronizing and erratic; the German public was outraged that their monarch was groveling to Britain; and France and Russia were furious at his diplomatic betrayal.
Imperial Chancellor Bernhard von Bülow was forced to assume responsibility for failing to censor the draft, precipitating his eventual resignation. Rather than building a bridge of peace, the Daily Telegraph Affair irreparably damaged Anglo-German trust, isolated Germany internationally, and severely undermined the political authority of the Kaiser at home.