Figure 1.--

At the time of World War I, the principal ship type that was seen as the implemnt of naval power was the battleship, often called drednoughts. It was the naval capital ship. This was because HMS Dreadnought (1906) revolutionized naval warfare. Until Dreadnought, battleships had a widerange of weaponry of different calibre. It was finally realizedthat the guns of real importance was the big guns. Dreadnought was the first embodiment of this principle, making all other existing battleships obsolete. This actully was a major advantage to the Germans. They did not have a large fleet of non-drednoughts like the Royal Navy. There was a related ship type, the battle cruiser with the same big guns as a battlehip, but without the same armour, especually the heavy deck plating. The naval War had a huge inmpact on the War. The Allied naval blockade severly impaired German insustrial production by cuting off raw materials. It also prevented needed food imports. The resulting food shortages adversely affected civilain morale. And the only way Germany had of breaking the blockade was to use its battleships to destoy the battleships of the British Home Fleet. The war at sea did not make the headlines of the great land battles. There was only one major fleet engagement--Jutland (1916). The massive Dreadnoughts of World War I navies were the first battleships. They were the superweapons of the day and enormously expensive. Even so, two small vessel types had an enomous impact on the War and both were capable of sinking the heavily armored and gunned dreadnoughts. The destroyer made its debute in naval warfare.At sea, the submarine, especially the German U-boat, unexpectedly became a major new vessel type. The German U-boat would prove to be decisive, but not in a way that the Germans anticipated. It failed to cut off Britain'vital sea lanes, but to Germany's great detriment, suceeded in bringing America into the War. Besides guns, mines, and torpedoes, tere was a major shift in naval warfare. Until World War I, naval ships had been fueled by coal. But coal had many disadvantaes. It require a huge area to store and even with large coal stores aboard limited the range of the ship. Thus major navies needed coaling sations to supply operations beyond home waters. Coal-fired ngines also left a dangerous smoke trail. The British began transitioning to oil before the War. The Germans without souces of oil were reluctant to follow suit.

Ship Types

At the time of World War I, the principal ship type that was seen as the implemnt of naval power was the battleship, often called drednoughts. It was the naval capital ship. This was because HMS Dreadnought (1906) revolutionized naval warfare. Until Dreadnought, battleships had a widerange of weaponry of different calibre. It was finally realizedthat the guns of real importance was the big guns. Dreadnought was the first embodiment of this principle, making all other existing battleships obsolete. This actully was a major advantage to the Germans. They did not have a large fleet of non-drednoughts like the Royal Navy. There was a related ship type, the battle cruiser with the same big guns as a battlehip, but without the same armour, especually the heavy deck plating. The naval War had a huge inmpact on the War. The Allied naval blockade severly impaired German insustrial production by cuting off raw materials. It also prevented needed food imports. The resulting food shortages adversely affected civilain morale. And the only way Germany had of breaking the blockade was to use its battleships to destoy the battleships of the British Home Fleet. The war at sea did not make the headlines of the great land battles. There was only one major fleet engagement--Jutland (1916). The massive Dreadnoughts of World War I navies were the first battleships. They were the superweapons of the day and enormously expensive. Even so, two small vessel types had an enomous impact on the War and both were capable of sinking the heavily armored and gunned dreadnoughts. The destroyer made its debute in naval warfare.At sea, the submarine, especially the German U-boat, unexpectedly became a major new vessel type. The German U-boat would prove to be decisive, but not in a way that the Germans anticipated. It failed to cut off Britain'vital sea lanes, but to Germany's great detriment, suceeded in bringing America into the War. Experiments began on carriers, but had no impact on the War.

Weaponry

Fuel

Besides guns, mines, and torpedoes, tere was a major shift in naval warfare. Until World War I, naval ships had been fueled by coal. But coal had many disadvantaes. It require a huge area to store and even with large coal stores limited the range of the ship. Thus major navies needed coaling stations to supply operations beyond home waters. Coal-fired engines also left a dangerous smoke trail. The British began transitioning to oil before the War. The Germasns without souces of oil were reluctant to follow suit.

Created: 4:16 PM 12/31/2017
Last updated: 4:16 PM 12/31/2017