World War I naval arms race
Encyclopedia
The naval arms race
of the early 20th Century preceded and was one of the several intertwined causes for World War I
. It was primarily between the United Kingdom
and the German Empire
. However, there were some other naval buildups in several other countries which were emerging as great power
s, such as the United States and Japan.
In accord with Wilhelm II’s enthusiasm for an expanded German navy, and his own strong desires, Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz
, Secretary of State of the German Imperial Naval Office
, championed four Fleet Acts between 1898 and 1912 to greatly expand the German High Seas Fleet
. In reaction to this challenge to their naval supremacy, from 1903 to 1910, the British Royal Navy
embarked on its own massive expansion to keep ahead of the Germans. This competition came to focus on the revolutionary new ships based on , which was launched in 1906.
By 1913, there was intense internal debate about new ships due to the growing influence of John Fisher's ideas and increasing financial constraints. It is now generally accepted by historians that in early-mid 1914 the British adopted a policy of building submarines instead of new dreadnoughts and destroyers, effectively abandoning the two power standard, but kept this new policy secret so that other powers would be delayed in following suit.
The naval race between Britain and Germany generated huge public support on each side. In the midst of the race, the British public coined the slogan 'We want eight and we won't wait!', referring to the number of dreadnoughts they wanted the government to build. With the surge of public support, the government did commission more shipbuilding. British defence policy was to ensure that the British navy was at least the size of the next two largest navies as outlined in the Two Power Standard. This was not the case as the war approached, thanks to financial and logistical constraints, and due to the speed of expansion of the German navy and the U.S. navy. Britain did, however, boast the largest navy when war broke out in 1914.
Britain managed to build the Dreadnought
battleship in just 14 months and by the start of the First World War Britain had 49 battleships, compared with Germany's 29. Although the naval race as such was abandoned by the British before the war broke out, it had been one of the chief factors in the United Kingdom joining the Triple Entente
, and therefore important in the formation of the alliance system as a whole.
Arms race
The term arms race, in its original usage, describes a competition between two or more parties for the best armed forces. Each party competes to produce larger numbers of weapons, greater armies, or superior military technology in a technological escalation...
of the early 20th Century preceded and was one of the several intertwined causes for World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It was primarily between the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. However, there were some other naval buildups in several other countries which were emerging as great power
Great power
A great power is a nation or state that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength and diplomatic and cultural influence which may cause small powers to consider the opinions of great powers before taking actions...
s, such as the United States and Japan.
In accord with Wilhelm II’s enthusiasm for an expanded German navy, and his own strong desires, Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz was a German Admiral, Secretary of State of the German Imperial Naval Office, the powerful administrative branch of the German Imperial Navy from 1897 until 1916. Prussia never had a major navy, nor did the other German states before the German Empire was formed in 1871...
, Secretary of State of the German Imperial Naval Office
German Imperial Naval Office
The German Imperial Naval Office was a government office in the German Empire. In April, 1889 what had been the German Imperial Admiralty was abolished and its duties divided among three new entities: the Imperial Naval High Command , the Imperial Naval Office and the German Imperial Naval Cabinet...
, championed four Fleet Acts between 1898 and 1912 to greatly expand the German High Seas Fleet
High Seas Fleet
The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Empire and saw action during World War I. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to...
. In reaction to this challenge to their naval supremacy, from 1903 to 1910, the British Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
embarked on its own massive expansion to keep ahead of the Germans. This competition came to focus on the revolutionary new ships based on , which was launched in 1906.
By 1913, there was intense internal debate about new ships due to the growing influence of John Fisher's ideas and increasing financial constraints. It is now generally accepted by historians that in early-mid 1914 the British adopted a policy of building submarines instead of new dreadnoughts and destroyers, effectively abandoning the two power standard, but kept this new policy secret so that other powers would be delayed in following suit.
The naval race between Britain and Germany generated huge public support on each side. In the midst of the race, the British public coined the slogan 'We want eight and we won't wait!', referring to the number of dreadnoughts they wanted the government to build. With the surge of public support, the government did commission more shipbuilding. British defence policy was to ensure that the British navy was at least the size of the next two largest navies as outlined in the Two Power Standard. This was not the case as the war approached, thanks to financial and logistical constraints, and due to the speed of expansion of the German navy and the U.S. navy. Britain did, however, boast the largest navy when war broke out in 1914.
Britain managed to build the Dreadnought
Dreadnought
The dreadnought was the predominant type of 20th-century battleship. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts...
battleship in just 14 months and by the start of the First World War Britain had 49 battleships, compared with Germany's 29. Although the naval race as such was abandoned by the British before the war broke out, it had been one of the chief factors in the United Kingdom joining the Triple Entente
Triple Entente
The Triple Entente was the name given to the alliance among Britain, France and Russia after the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente in 1907....
, and therefore important in the formation of the alliance system as a whole.
| Country | Personnel | Large Naval Vessels (Dreadnoughts) |
Tonnage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 54,000 | 4 | 328,000 |
| France | 68,000 | 10 | 731,000 |
| Britain | 209,000 | 29 | 2,205,000 |
| TOTAL | 331,000 | 43 | 3,264,000 |
| Germany | 79,000 | 17 | 1,019,000 |
| Austria-Hungary | 16,000 | 4 | 249,000 |
| TOTAL | 95,000 | 21 | 1,268,000 |
| (Source: Ferguson 1999, p. 85) | |||