Early First World War German attempts to use mines and submarines against British forces lead into Castex's argument that auxiliary threats become more effective when surface forces act as bait and stand ready to support them. That logic can pull a fleet from limited mine warfare toward a genuine sortie because exposed minelayers and submarines cannot simply be abandoned. British losses, repairs, and overseas detachments then created a brief period when the Grand Fleet's numerical advantage narrowed. The French analysis shows how coastal weapons, fleet concentration, and command decisions interact rather than operate as separate forms of war.
Chapter · 2:48:59-2:55:45
French strategic thought on mines, submarines, and fleet action
A reading from Raoul Castex leads into a discussion of how mine warfare and submarines still depend on surface forces and strategic concentration.