2)
“One of the most significant causes of tension in Europe was the naval rivalry which developed after 1900”
However Germany didn't need its navy, as it was only able to enter the North Sea, but Britain is in contact with the Atlantic as well. Germany still had a food supply problem as they received merchant ship deliveries also. Germany built her own dreadnoughts hoping to challenge the British fleet, but was frightened of damaging them in combat. Germany’s real nautical power was the U-boats she was developing. They were created for roaming underwater this meant that they were hard to see. The torpedo was another great advance; this is shown in quote 3).
3)
“Even the mightiest battleship was vulnerable to a torpedo from the smallest submarine.”
Total war was a brand new type of warfare effecting every body. This war was the war that people hated as every one was involved whether fighting in the trenches or at home; the effect of the war in the sea was very big. Total war meant that the side that could keep up morale by bringing in supplies etc. would most probably win the war. People depended on Britain pulling through the war at sea because of the stalemate in the trenches this was a way to break through and win.
There weren't many battles involving dreadnoughts between the two sides because both fleets feared defeat, and the loss of a precious ship. The British fleet had a blockade of German ports throughout most of the war, stopping merchant ships from getting to Germany, and prevented warships entering or leaving this helped immensely. Germans were even said to be that low on food that they were eating rats by the end of the war.
4)
“The British blockade was a key factor in the defeat of Germany.”
5)
“Starved of supplies the German army was weakened and the German people who lost some of their will to support the war.”
German U-boats came into action and travelled underneath the blockades to try and sink British supply ships. They sank all ships and it very nearly worked as at one point Britain found her self in real trouble and was running extremely low on food supplies.
6)
“In the spring of 1917 Britains supplies of food had reached crisis levels. At one point it was estimated that London’s food supply was down to a few days.”
The battle of Jutland was the only major battle, although not the only battle, both sides claimed victory. This was a significant battle as it shows Germany could not break the blockade on her ports. After this battle Germans never so much as left their ports in case of damaging their dreadnoughts again.
Germany declared unrestricted submarine warfare though, which worked very well, and led to the food shortage in Britain. However, when the Germans sunk the famous Lusitania (it was not an American ship but it carried Americans) this consequently lead to bad feelings towards German's in the U.S and lead to her joining the allies later in the war.
By 1918, American troops arrived in Britain, and were there to aid the final attack in the same year which bought victory to the allies. The attack would not have been so successful without the new American troops help.
The war at sea was a very important factor that helped Britain win the war. The war at sea was a major influence in the supplies region of the war because of the U-boats and the blockades. Probably the most important part of the war at sea was the sinking of the Lusitania. With out realising it Germany guaranteed us to win the war as our troops were tired and morale was lowering. But with the help of the fresh, eager American troops the attack was so much more successful. Taking into consideration the facts and evidence, in my view, the war at sea did help Britain win the war.
