DNR Polytechnic: Navy in World War 1 - PDF

Navy in World War I 1914-1918  Objectives Comprehend the causes of WWI Analyze the Naval strategies of Central Powers and Allied Powers Understand the contribution of the US during WWI Comprehend the effect and aftermath of WWI  Last Class 189...

Navy in World War I 1914-1918  Objectives Comprehend the causes of WWI Analyze the Naval strategies of Central Powers and Allied Powers Understand the contribution of the US during WWI Comprehend the effect and aftermath of WWI  Last Class 1898-1914 Spanish-American War Navy leading up to WWI American expansionism Roosevelt Corollary  Today Navy in WWI Causes Naval battles US involvement World War I 1914 – 1918 Gruesome War 70 million fought 16 million killed  Prelude to War Growth of nationalism European imperialism and competition Unification of Germany in 1870 shakes up balance of power in Europe France seeks out alliance with Russia to even the odds German naval race with Britain forces Britain to look for allies By 1914 Europe divided into a unstable system of alliances and rivalries  Prelude to War On 28 Jun 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria is assassinated by members of a Bosnian terrorist group Austria-Hungary blames Serbia for attack 7 Austro-Hungarian Empire  Domino Effect Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia Russia mobilizes army to support Serbia France mobilizes to support Russia Germany declares war on Russia, France and Belgium to support Austria-Hungary Britain declares war on Germany to support Belgium Italy stays neutral (initially) 9  World Powers Involved Central Powers / Triple Alliance Triple Entente (Allies) Germany UK Austria-Hungary France Ottoman Empire Russia  World Powers Involved Central Powers Entente (Allies) Germany Russia Austria-Hungary France Ottoman Empire (Turkey) Britain Bulgaria Belgium Rebel groups in South Africa, Libya, Serbia Somalia, and Sudan Japan Italy (1915) US (1917) Other smaller countries  Initial Land Actions 1. Germany launches invasion of France 2. France slows it 3. Britain urgently sends troops to help France repel invasion. Reinforcements are successful in stopping German advance. 4. Land battle reaches stalemate - Costly trench warfare - No major movement on either side - Germany realizes stalemate will lead to defeat and eventually begins unrestricted sub warfare against merchants Eastern Front  Trench Warfare Both sides dig trenches to hold their positions Modern weapons make old tactics obsolete Any attempt to attack turns into a massacre Soon entire front line becomes one long series of trenches  Initial Naval Actions Britain begins blockade a. Declare North Sea a “War Zone” - Assert right to inspect and destroy ships carrying German war contraband b. Lay mine field in north sea c. Blockade German warships into port Allied Naval Strategy  Initial Naval Actions German Guerre de Course a. Use surface fleet at first b. Submarines afterwards - Many built- initially considered “experimental” by Germany - Engage ships suspected of carrying contraband - Sink 5,234 Allied ships by war’s end - Almost defeat the Allies with this alone -Allies saved by US entry into war April 1917 Central Power Naval Strategy  Initial Naval Actions German v. British Fleets (1914-1916) a. Bigger British fleet keeps German Navy in port b. Limited success luring Brits into sub torpedo traps c. British have upper hand in surface-to-surface engagements d. Germans have upper hand in sub engagements e. Only major fleet engagement: Battle of Jutland (May 1916) - Indecisive battle - Only full-scale clash of battleships in the war Battle of Jutland May 31, 1916  Battle of Jutland Naval battle between British Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet and Imperial German Navy’s High Seas Fleet German plan was to lure out and trap portion of British fleet Part of larger strategy to break British blockade Over 250 ships between two fleets 14 British and 11 German ships sunk Both sides claimed victory Gallipoli Campaign  Gallipoli Campaign In an attempt to break the stalemate of trench warfare, British and French launch amphibious assault on the Ottoman Empire Landings are a disaster, only successful part is evacuation Lessons learned Need for dedicated amphibious landing craft Need for training and rehearsal of amphibious landing tactics Need for better coordination of landing forces and naval gunfire British and French lose surprise in initial attempt at naval assault. Forts remain superior to battleships. Becomes heavily studied by all naval powers to determine amphibious doctrine  Why did the US get Involved? Enters war in April 1917 War has been good for US so far 1. Beneficial to economy 2. Not involved in direct conflict up until this point 3. Have time to prepare for war Naval Act of 1916 Why get involved?  Naval Act of 1916 “Big Navy Act” President Wilson desired to build the greatest Navy in the world More than $500 million spent on: 5 battleships 11 battlecruisers 30 submarines 50 destroyers All built over 3 year period Wilson’s goal was to build a bigger Navy than GB, proclaiming, “let us build a bigger navy than hers and do what we please.”  Why did the US get involved? 1. Unrestricted submarine warfare 2. Sinking of the Lusitania (1915) 1,200 of 2,000 die 3. Zimmerman Telegram (1917) Germany tries to recruit Mexico as ally 4. Make the world “safe for democracy” Woodrow Wilson wanted negotiating power when war ended  US Contribution At Sea Supply, supply, supply Convoy escorts Counter submarines in Atlantic and Med Merchant fleet Join British Navy in blockade of Germany North Sea mine barrage Aircraft scout for convoys On land Army and USMC tipped infantry scales in France Army, Navy, USMC aviation units  What was the naval threat? Unrestricted submarine warfare Start of war, suspended, resumed in 1917 Germany initiated it against: Any enemy merchant ship Any ship suspected of carrying contraband Over 5,000 merchant ships sunk -Lost 178 U-boats What stopped it: Destroyer escorts Mine fields Aircraft as spotters  Important People SECNAV Josephus Asst. SECNAV Franklin Daniels Roosevelt  Important People ADM William Benson RADM William Sims (1st Chief of Naval (Naval Rep to Admiralty Operations) in London)  RADM Sims RADM William S. Sims US Naval rep to Britain Has command of all US Naval forces operating from Britain Coordinates Anglo-American efforts against U-boats in the western approaches to Britain Advocates for Destroyers (not battleships) Convoy system Atlantic Convoys 1918 Allied Shipping Losses US Enters War North Sea Mine Barrage 1918 North Sea Barrage- Mk 6 Mine Marines in Europe 1918 4th Marine Brigade in France Belleau Wood / Teufel Hunden- “Devil Dog” -Month long battle in June -Outcome convinces Congress to grow Corps from 30,000 to 75,000  What wins the war? 1. Germany is starving Losing battle of attrition (supplies and men) 2. American entry tips scales On sea and land, particularly in France What ends it? 1. Germans try one last offensive- March 1918 -Come within 75 miles of Paris 2. Allies repel the attack and push Germans back behind pre-March lines by July 3. Launch counter-offensive- Hundred Days Offensive 4. Revolution begins in Germany and surrender is quick to follow  End to War Armistice (Nov 11, 1918) (11th min, 11th hour, 11th day in 1918) Germany capitulates Treaty of Versailles (1919) Germany at fault Create Polish State Belgian Sovereignty Czechoslovakian Sovereignty League of Nations What did we learn from WWI? Technology? Strategy and tactics? Balance of sea power? Dazzle Camouflage Machine Guns Tanks Gas Airships  Objectives Comprehend the causes of WWI Analyze the Naval strategies of Central Powers and Allied Powers Understand the contribution of the US during WWI Comprehend the effect and aftermath of WWI Questions