The prewar dreadnought race had two interacting levels. Germany's risk-fleet strategy tried to make war too costly for Britain by threatening enough of the Royal Navy's numerical strength. A technological competition unfolded at the same time, with Italian research and published ideas contributing differently from American ships entering construction. Britain needed to protect its numerical lead and its qualitative advantage. The Royal Navy therefore sought a margin in hulls over Germany while keeping ahead of other capital-ship builders in technology.
Chapter · 21:12-22:18
A two-level global naval race
The 1912 naval race combined Germany's risk-fleet challenge in hull numbers with technological pressure from American construction and Italian research.