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10 Dec 2021. The naval race between Germany and Great Britain between 1906 and 1914 created huge friction between both nations and it is seen as one of the causes of World War One. In 1906, Britain launched the first dreadnought – a ship that meant all others were redundant before its awesome fire power.
How did the naval arms race cause ww1?
The main event of Militarism causing World War one was the naval rivalry which was made after 1900. The Kaiser felt he needed a bigger navy than Britain to protect its country. While Britain and Germany built up their navies, the major powers on mainland Europe were also building up their armies.
The Making of a Naval Race↑ Driven by a desire to make the German Empire a viable world power and an integral industrial nation, the Navy Bills of 1898 and 1900 laid out the course for a massive naval expansion under anti-British auspices.
Why did Germany need a navy in ww1?
However, in 1897, Germany’s new head of the Imperial German Navy, Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, advised the Kaiser Wilhelm II that the country needed a large modern navy. Tirpitz argued that this would help protect Germany’s growing overseas empire and its northern coastline from enemy attack.
Between 1900 and 1914, Germany became identified by Britain as the chief foreign threat to its Empire. Britain relied upon imports, and its economic prosperity rested on seaborne trade, financed by the City of London. Any threat to Britain’s naval supremacy was a threat to the nation itself.
Why did the Anglo German naval race happen?
While based in a bilateral relationship that had worsened over many decades, the arms race began with a plan by German Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz in 1897 to create a fleet in being to force Britain to make diplomatic concessions; Tirpitz did not expect the Imperial German Navy to defeat the Royal Navy.
What did the British navy do in WW1?
In 1914 the Royal Navy was by far the most powerful navy in the world. The Royal Navy’s basic responsibilities included policing colonies and trade routes, defending coastlines and imposing blockades on hostile powers.
The German surface navy proved ineffective during the First World War; its only major engagement, the Battle of Jutland, was a draw, but it kept the surface fleet largely in port for the rest of the war. The submarine fleet was greatly expanded and threatened the British supply system.
Did Britain or Germany have the strongest Navy in 1914?
In 1914 the British Royal Navy (RN) remained the largest in the world. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, supported by Kaiser Wilhelm II, had attempted to create a German navy that could match the RN, but the British had comfortably maintained their lead in the subsequent naval arms race.