British shell detonators expose the reverse side of the turbine argument. British industry had relied on German fuzes before the war, leaving domestic ammunition less effective when that supply disappeared. This helps explain why spectacular British losses at Jutland did not translate into an equally strong record of destructive hits on German ships. Even the world’s deepest maritime economy could contain critical foreign dependencies. Industrial strength therefore has to be examined component by component rather than treated as a national slogan.
Notable Point · 1:21:31-1:22:31
British shell failures reveal dependence in the other direction
Britain’s poor shell detonators complicate a simple story of one-way industrial superiority because the Royal Navy had previously relied on German components.