Reginald Custance argues that fast battlecruisers encouraged Germany to misuse its High Seas Fleet. He judges the bombardments of Lowestoft and Scarborough strategically ineffective despite their consequences for people ashore. The raids risked valuable ships and weakened the concentration on which Germany's ability to contest the North Sea depended. In this argument, speed became a temptation to undertake missions that did not justify the risk to the fleet.
Notable Point · 1:02:21-1:02:55
When battlecruiser speed encouraged strategic misuse
German battlecruiser raids on Lowestoft and Scarborough risked fleet strength for bombardments judged to have brought no strategic benefit.