Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:12:44-2:14:16

An unscuttled High Seas Fleet complicates the treaty system

Dividing intact German warships among the victors creates disputes that could delay or derail the Washington treaty settlement.

High Seas FleetNaval Arms ControlScapa FlowTreaty Of VersaillesWashington Naval Treaty
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Question

How would the postwar naval balance change if Germany had not scuttled the High Seas Fleet?

Short answer

Prize allocation would become a major diplomatic dispute and could delay the Washington Naval Treaty enough to alter interwar capital-ship construction.

Notes

Britain, France, Italy, Japan, and the United States would argue over the most valuable battleships and battlecruisers. Bayern, Baden, and the surviving battlecruisers would create especially contentious prizes. If distribution were embedded in the Versailles settlement, those allocations would alter the starting fleets used in later negotiations. A Washington agreement could arrive later or in a different form, allowing ships such as the G3 battlecruisers to proceed farther.