Q&A · 2:16:04-2:16:28

German destroyers lacked the endurance for a British blockade

A logistics answer explains why winning a fleet action would not automatically give Germany the reach to blockade Britain.

Question

Could First World War German destroyers escort battlecruisers far enough to blockade Britain after a German naval victory?

Short answer

No; their endurance was inadequate, while Royal Navy submarines could reach the operating area and interfere with the attempt.

Notes

The escort problem is governed by fuel and range rather than only combat power. German destroyers could not sustain the distant operation, and British submarines retained enough endurance to threaten the battlecruisers and disrupt any blockade force.