Arms race

The Eighth Doctor described the Last Great Time War as an arms race. (AUDIO: The Conscript)

On Earth, the United Kingdom engaged in an arms race with Germany in February 1906 when the Royal Navy launched the first Dreadnought-class warship. It contributed to the beginning of the First World War, and led to the creation of weapons such as the atomic bomb in the longer term. Time travelling aliens intent on invading a weakened Earth tried to stop the arms race by handing the Dreadnought plans to German agents in January 1906, but the First Doctor, Steven Taylor and Ruby Watkins foiled their plans. (AUDIO: Peace in Our Time)