Agadir Crisis - Aftermath

Aftermath

France subsequently established a full protectorate over Morocco (March 30, 1912), ending what remained of the country's formal independence.

Instead of scaring Britain into turning toward Germany, the main result was to increase British fear and hostility and to draw Britain closer to France. British backing for France during the crisis reinforced the Entente between the two countries (and with Russia as well) and added to Anglo-German estrangement, deepening the divisions which would culminate in World War I.

Daniel Yergin, in his book, The Prize had argued that it was this incident that led Winston Churchill, then Britain's Home Secretary, to the conclusion that the Royal Navy must convert its power source from coal to oil in order to preserve its supremacy. Until then, the locally abundant coal was favoured over riskier overseas oil (which came mostly from Persia), but the speed and efficiency offered by oil convinced him that "Mastery itself was the prize of the venture". Subsequently, Churchill was asked by Prime Minister Asquith to become First Lord of the Admiralty, which he accepted.

In modern Germany, the Agadir Crisis is still the best known example of gunboat diplomacy. The "Panther's jump" has become a popular figure of speech, characterising any given demonstration of power, especially an unnecessary one.

The crisis led to Britain and France making a naval agreement where the Royal Navy promised to protect the northern coast of France from German attack.