Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:08:47-1:09:40

Why losing the Royal Navy could lose the war

The reverse Copenhagen counterfactual explains why British fleet security was inseparable from Allied supply and survival in the First World War.

Fleet In BeingImperial German NavyRoyal NavySea Lines Of CommunicationWorld War I
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Question

What if the German navy had destroyed the Royal Navy in a Copenhagen-style attack before the First World War?

Short answer

Germany likely wins quickly because Britain and France lose the maritime protection on which their war effort and supplies depend.

Notes

A successful German opening strike against the Royal Navy would give Germany a rapid path to victory. Britain depended upon its navy, while France depended on supplies carried under British maritime protection. That strategic exposure explains why the Royal Navy dispersed and organized itself to avoid being disabled in a single blow. It also gives practical meaning to the description of Jellicoe as the commander who could lose the war in an hour.