As I understand it, the link between the armed forces and the rest of the state was the emperor, but Wilhelm II was neither capable to provide a sensible grand strategy of his own nor willing to listen to competent ministers like his predecessors, so he was dysfunctional in this role.
Wilhelm II destroying Bismarck's alliance system and leading Germany, at the time on a seemingly unstoppable upwards trajectory in terms of scientific, industrial and cultural power, in a war with bad odds, must be one of the major grand strategy failures in modern times. He simply gambled away an excellent, idiot safe position. Germany only had one natural opponent in Europe (France) and even was connected to most other powers by royal family ties.
You're absolutely correct, Wilhelm II's reign exposed the deficiencies in the Prussian constitution that the combination of Wilhelm I, Bismarck, and Moltke had obscured through success during the unification.
As I understand it, the link between the armed forces and the rest of the state was the emperor, but Wilhelm II was neither capable to provide a sensible grand strategy of his own nor willing to listen to competent ministers like his predecessors, so he was dysfunctional in this role.
https://image.slidesharecdn.com/weimarconstitution-140828000449-phpapp02/95/weimar-constitution-7-638.jpg?cb=1409184350
Wilhelm II destroying Bismarck's alliance system and leading Germany, at the time on a seemingly unstoppable upwards trajectory in terms of scientific, industrial and cultural power, in a war with bad odds, must be one of the major grand strategy failures in modern times. He simply gambled away an excellent, idiot safe position. Germany only had one natural opponent in Europe (France) and even was connected to most other powers by royal family ties.
You're absolutely correct, Wilhelm II's reign exposed the deficiencies in the Prussian constitution that the combination of Wilhelm I, Bismarck, and Moltke had obscured through success during the unification.