A Kaiserliche Marine bid to outbuild the Royal Navy would first collide with the German Army's political power. Moltke and the Supreme Army Command have enough influence to defeat a naval-first policy and could threaten Wilhelm II's position. British pressure for larger, faster, more capable dreadnoughts already raised the cost of each German capital ship and sharpened the army-navy budget rivalry. The scenario requires changes to German civil-military institutions before Germany can sustain a larger battleship program.
Chapter · 3:42-8:24
Why the German Army blocks the naval gamble
A German bid to outbuild the Royal Navy begins with an army-navy political struggle before shipbuilding capacity becomes decisive.