Kiel and the Anglo-German naval balance

Without Kiel, Germany must either divide its strength between two fleets or move ships through the approaches around Denmark. This would lessen the threat posed by the German fleet in an Anglo-German arms race, even if it would not automatically prevent the First World War. A smaller German naval threat could reduce Britain's incentive to align with the Entente, although political leadership and wider causes still leave war possible. Britain could plan to meet German squadrons while they attempted to combine in constrained waters. The predictable chokepoint would also encourage earlier and heavier British submarine patrols. Public British objections to submarine warfare sat alongside the Royal Navy's own substantial pre-war submarine procurement.