Britain might have aligned with Germany if Berlin had emphasized cruisers and left British maritime supremacy unchallenged. Such an arrangement could have balanced France and Russia, with Germany supplying the continental army and Britain the battle fleet. Britain's need to reset the wider multinational battleship competition would probably still have produced HMS Dreadnought. German construction of its own dreadnought fleet instead increased tension with a possible strategic partner.
Notable Point · 59:09-1:01:31
Could a smaller German fleet have drawn Britain closer?
A German navy built around cruisers might have supported cooperation with Britain, while the wider battleship race would probably still have prompted HMS Dreadnought.