British planners considered both Germany and the United States capable of creating a naval crisis, and London would have tried to restrain whichever side initiated it. If Germany attacked American ships, Britain would oppose Germany, but an American attack could force Britain to lead the maritime response against the United States. Control of the coalition was the deciding issue because allowing Germany to lead would weaken Britain's standing as the foremost naval power. Britain's maritime leadership was an active role that had to be performed, ideally through a short and limited naval war without a widening land conflict in Canada.
Notable Point · 11:44-15:46
British maritime leadership in an American-German crisis
A discussion of prewar American-German tension explains why Britain could not let a rival lead a maritime coalition, even when that meant confronting the United States.