Week 10 HIS The War at Sea Booklet PDF

The War at Sea Lesson Resources for Week 10 Week 10: Why did Britain win the War at Sea? 1 How to use this booklet The information and tasks should follow your lessons. The idea here is that you ‘use the notes; don’t make the notes.’ This means that we would rather you engage in the l...

The War at Sea Lesson Resources for Week 10 Week 10: Why did Britain win the War at Sea? 1 How to use this booklet The information and tasks should follow your lessons. The idea here is that you ‘use the notes; don’t make the notes.’ This means that we would rather you engage in the lessons, ask and answer questions, highlight key bits of information, complete tasks rather than copying down the information from the ppts. In the Discovery sessions we ask you to watch a video and read some new information and complete some tasks based on this. This should prepare you for the Explore lessons and make them less overwhelming. The booklet also contains additional questions related to the Discovery content that you can use for Cycle Test, Summative and final exam revision This way of learning should help to make sure that you have a firm understanding of the content before we move onto the Explore lessons. It is crucial that the Discovery tasks are completed. The textbook that we have asked you to buy will still be a valuable aide. It will offer further detail to extend your understanding of the subject. Please make sure that you have this booklet with you for each lesson and then you can follow the lessons seamlessly. You can print it out and write on it or save it to your computer, whichever works best for you. 2 Topics You should be able to: The Key Events Explain why the war at sea was so important to Britain and Germany of the War at Describe the main events during the war at sea, including the Battle Sea of Jutland Explain the effects of the British Blockade on Germany The U-Boat Describe the main features of the U-boat campaign Campaign Describe how Britain tried to challenge German U-boats Describe events surrounding the sinking of the ‘Lusitania’ Explain how Britain defeated the U-boat threat 3  Week 10 Discovery Lesson: Why was the War at Sea so important? The Background By the beginning of the 20th century, the main superpowers of Europe had established vast empires in Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East. These territories had become fundamental (very important) to their economies and provided a plentiful supply of natural resources, manpower and food to fuel their own countries. By 1914, Britain had built up a huge navy to ensure they could protect all their overseas interests whilst protecting the British Isles from foreign threats. Germany, less so, had also developed its own navy and had focused on building a mixture of large battleships and a fleet of submarines, a new effective weapon at disrupting enemy convoys carrying vital resources. By 1915, it had become abundantly clear that fighting on the Western Front would not end soon and a war of attrition had been established. The nation who would be victorious would do so only if they could maintain the supplies and resources needed for such a destructive and costly war. 4  Key words: Resources – this can be things like food, coal, oil fertilizers, Imports - when goods are brought into a country Blockade - the stopping of supplies reaching an enemy country Convoys - supply ships sailing close together in large groups, protected by warships Why were Germany a threat to Britain at sea? The British were dependent on ships bringing in food, raw materials and other goods from abroad. Their biggest trading partner was the USA and vast amounts of foodstuffs were imported from abroad. Britain had become largely reliant on imported food. Britain needed to send reinforcements and fresh supplies across the Channel to the Western Front. If the English Channel was lost to the German Navy, then it was almost guaranteed that Britain’s contribution towards the war would have to end. Britain had a worldwide empire. Its only means of communication was by sea. It was vital to remain in contact with countries such Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and protect convoys coming from these areas bringing new troops and equipment. 5 Why were Britain a threat to Germany at sea? The British could blockade the German ports and cut off its overseas trade. Germany had become reliant on over 1/5 of its food being imported from abroad. If Britain could blockade its ports its people could starve. Germany had an empire in Africa and the Far East. Like Britain, its only link with its overseas territories was by sea. Germany had a limited coastline unlike Britain. With a limited number of ports, it could easily be blockaded, it was vital that it didn’t allow Britain to do this. In November 1914 Britain declared the North Sea a war zone and that ships in the area could be boarded and have their cargo seized. This blockade was to have a devastating impact on Germany’s ability to win the war 6 How did the two nations compare in terms of naval strength? British Navy German Navy The British had the largest fleet, with 29 The German fleet was smaller, with only 17 dreadnoughts. These were anchored at Scapa dreadnoughts in 1914. The German High Seas Flow, a protected and sheltered bay in the Fleet spent most of the time at its base in Orkney islands, and at Cromarty. The battle Wilhelmshaven. cruisers were at Rosyth. The British also had a long naval tradition, Germany had no naval tradition. The Kaiser having controlled the seas throughout the 19th had built up the navy in the preceding 14 years. century. Britain had one more advantage. Germany did have several advantages: Early in the war a German cruiser, The German ships were of superior Magdeburg, was sunk by Russian ships in design, especially in the quality of their the Baltic Sea. The body of a German steel armour protection. officer was found clutching the German The German gunners proved themselves naval code book. From then on Britain to be superior marksmen. was able to decode German messages Most German shells, unlike their British and knew when enemy ships were leaving counterparts, exploded on hitting port. enemy ships. 7 Revision: Check your understanding so far! Question Answer 1 Give two reasons why Germany was a threat to Britain at sea 2 Give two reasons why Britain was a threat to Germany at sea 3 Give one key advantage that the British Navy had over the German Navy. Key Words Battleships- the largest of the warships. Expensive to produce and designed specifically for ship-ship engagements. Cruisers- larger than Destroyers and can vary in size. Can be used for ship to ship engagements or to protect merchant vessels. Destroyers- smaller warships designed to protect merchant ships and engage submarines. 8 What were the main sea battles of WWI? Early Clashes Despite the importance of trying to control the seas, both sides were very cautious with their navies. They had cost so much money to build that neither side wanted to risk losing them in a large-scale sea battle. One of Britain’s leading naval commanders, Admiral Jellicoe, even said that ‘The war could be lost in an afternoon’ if the British Navy was destroyed. However, this did not prevent sea battles in the early years of the war, although these were only small clashes. The Battle of Heligoland Bight- 28th August 1914 On 28th August 1914, the Royal Navy scored a clever (but small) tactical victory in the North Sea at Heligoland. This was the first engagement between the British and German Navies. Fast British destroyers deliberately sailed close to the German coast. They were pursued by more powerful German cruisers, which sailed into a trap – the British battle cruiser fleet under Admiral Beatty was waiting for them further out at sea. The Royal Navy possessed superiority in terms of firepower and sheer numbers and German losses were high; 3 light cruisers, 1 destroyer were sunk. 712 German sailors died, 530 casualties. In comparison, 1 light cruiser and 3 destroyers were damaged. 35 sailors killed, 40 casualties. 9  Clearly superior, the British heralded the battle as a huge victory and cheering crowds greeted the returning troops. The Kaiser ordered the German navy to remain in port for several months and to actively avoid engaging superior numbers in future. The battle had highlighted that German were highly unlikely to beat Britain at sea if they went toe-to-toe with the Royal Navy and its firepower. British Victory The German raids on Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool- 16th December 1914 The German Navy were eventually successful at breaking through British patrols and were able to raid the North East coast of Britain. These raids had 3 objectives: Lay mines along the British coast Strike a blow at the morale of the British people and the reputation of the British navy. Force the British navy to spread out its fleet along Britain’s North Sea coast. This, in turn, would allow the German fleet to target single British ships without having to face the full ‘Grand Fleet’ The weather stopped the Royal Navy from being able to pursue the fleeing German fleet, and naval engagements were limited therefore scuppering the German’s plans. 10  Naval casualties on both sides were minimal. British civilian casualties were significant, at least in the context of the time. 82 civilians were killed and 424 were wounded. This was the first time that a foreign war had been brought to the coasts of Britain for centuries. Public outrage towards Germany was huge and it proved an effective propaganda tool for the government to recruit more troops to the military. German Victory The Battle of Dogger Bank- 24th January 1915 The British had decoded radio signals telling them that the German raiding squadron was heading for Dogger Bank and a force was sent to intercept. The Royal Navy surprised the smaller and slower German squadron, which swiftly fled home. Miscommunication in the Royal Navy enabled the remaining German fleet to escape. Britain had 2 ships damaged, including its flagship the HMS Lion, with 15 killed and 32 wounded. Germany had 2 ships sunk, 954 killed, 80 wounded and 189 captured. Significantly, the German navy called off all future raids of the British coastline and its fleet would remain in port until 1916. They would need to find a new way to defeat Britain at sea. 11  British Victory The Battle of Jutland- 31st May- 1st June 1916 On May 31st, 1916, came the clash that both sides feared. The new German admiral, von Scheer, was keen for confrontation and so sent out a squadron of ships into the North Sea to draw out the British Grand Fleet. He intended to follow close behind and make a surprise attack. This was the final attempt of the German navy to inflict heavy damage on the British Navy and break the British blockade on German ports However, because the British had broken the codes, they knew that an attack was coming. They were ready and waiting The two great fleets, 259 warships with over 100,000 men, met off the coast of Denmark The fighting was fierce Britain = 14 ships sunk, 6094 killed Germany = 9 ships sunk 2551 killed. Germany appeared the clear victor. However, this was not really the case. The damage done to the German navy, in real terms, was significant and they would struggle to replace the destroyed ships. Britain, on the other hand, still had a vast fleet to call upon to maintain the German blockade and control the North Sea. The German High Fleet made the decision to avoid leaving its ports for good. 12  It gave Britain total control over the North Sea and therefore the ability to maintain the blockade over German ports. It meant that the German navy never threatened the British navy again Although the Kaiser proclaimed it a success, it was a bitter blow to his attempts to break the blockade. At this point the Kaiser realised he would never break the blockade and a long struggle would be required if Germany were to win the war. British Victory?? 13  The British Blockade By 1915, Britain had placed a naval blockade on German ports. This made it incredibly difficult for Germany to receive vital supplies needed for their war effort. In 1916, after the Battle of Jutland, the Germans remained in their ports and the blockade remained for the rest of the war. 300,00 deaths related to malnutrition between 1914-1918 1915- German government forced to kill 1/3 of pigs in Germany as the food to feed them had been cut off by the blockade. By 1916 the average adult meat consumption for one week was roughly the equivalent of 2 burgers (1/2 pound or 220g) Devastated the morale of army and public. By 1918 many people began to question the prolonging of the war due to the damage it was doing at home. Production reached record lows for the war and eventually the people pushed the Kaiser out of power. The blockade cut off vital supplies of nitrate, which is needed to make explosives and fertiliser for farmers to produce more food. This factor is significant to the war effort as a whole. It meant that Germany could not maintain the U-boat campaign which had been so effective. It also meant they couldn’t produce to vast numbers of tanks like the Allies, meaning that by 1918 they were massively underprepared for the new technologies and tactics which eventually won the Allies the war. 14 Revision: Check your understanding so far! Question Answer 4 Where did the German Navy attack in December 1914 and why? 5 Give one result consequence of the Battle of Dogger Bank. 6 Why did Germany claim victory at the Battle of Jutland? 7 Why might the British claim the Battle of Jutland as a victory? 8 Why was the Battle of Jutland so significant? 9 Give two effects of the British Blockade on Germany 15 Week 10 Explore Lesson 1: The war under the sea: the German threat to Britain Starter: Use the pictures below to help explain why the Battle of Jutland was so significant. Photograph of Berlin inhabitants cutting up a horse for meat 16  The War under the sea We have seen how by 1916 the British Navy had secured control of the North Sea and how this allowed Britain to continue with the devastating blockade of German ports. However, the war at sea did not only take place in the North Sea. German submarines operating in the Atlantic Ocean brought Britain close to defeat. As an island nation, Britain relied on its merchant navy (ships carrying supplies) to bring in food and goods from abroad. The Germans planned to use U-boast to sink them Just as Britain has imposed a naval blockade on Germany, the German government announced a submarine blockade on Britain What was the U-boat threat? U-boats (Unterseebooten) were German submarines. They were used to target commercial vessels carrying vital supplies for Britain’s war effort. These ships mostly sailed from America, across the Atlantic Ocean. Such a vast expanse of water made it extremely difficult for the Royal Navy to protect the shipping lanes whilst it also needed to protect the North Sea from Germany’s main fleet. Therefore, it was relatively easy for Germany’s U-boats to enter the Atlantic and begin harassing British merchant ships. Early in the war German U-boats only targeted military ships, but from February 1915, the German navy started unrestricted warfare which meant they targeted merchant ships without giving them warning of attack. This level of aggression did come at a cost for Germany though. It became extremely unpopular with America whose ships and sailors were often killed as part of Germany’s unrestricted warfare. 17 The Sinking of the Lusitania, May 1915 Lusitania, was launched in 1906 to carry passengers on transatlantic voyages. The British Navy subsidised the ship’s construction with the understanding it could be used for military service if war broke out. When World War I began Lusitania remained a passenger ship, although it was secretly modified for war. Days before Lusitania was scheduled to leave New York for Liverpool in early May 1915, the German Embassy in Washington D.C. placed ads in American newspapers reminding Americans that Britain and Germany were at war. They warned potential passengers that “vessels flying the flag of Great Britain or of any of her allies are liable to destruction” and should be avoided. Since it was assumed, Germany would still allow passengers to get into lifeboats prior to an attack, the cautions were largely ignored. By February 1915, German naval commanders knew British merchants were arming their ships and that merchant and passenger ships were transporting weapons and supplies from the United States to Europe. In May 1915, German U-boats sunk the Lusitania, a British passenger liner, sailing from New York to Liverpool. Over 1000 passengers drowned, including 128 Americans. 18  The German government claimed (with reason) that the ship was also carrying military supplies. President Wilson warned Germany that the United States may enter the war, tensions increased between the American and German governments which caused Germany to call off unrestricted warfare. This meant that before attacking any merchant vessel, the safety of all the ship’s passengers had to be secured, and warning was given before attacking. Only then could the ship be sunk. This was far less effective as a means of disrupting Britain’s shipping lanes, but Germany were extremely concerned about America joining the war. Task: Complete the questions below. Question Answer 1 What was the aim of the U boat campaign? 2 What was unrestricted submarine warfare? 3 Why did Germany call off unrestricted submarine warfare? 19 A second U- boat campaign By 1917 the German U boat fleet had increased to almost 200. Germany believed that Britain could be starved into submission and it restarted unrestricted warfare Five hundred supply ships heading for Britain were destroyed in 8 weeks. By April 1917 the U boat campaign had been so successful that Britain was said to have six weeks of food supply left By the end of the year, over 6 million tonnes of Allied shipping had been sunk. Despite all of this, Germany still did not cripple Britain’s war economy. So how did Britain survive the U-boat threat? There were a variety of reasons, but it was no means an easy victory for Britain like the sea battles had been. New Weapons Q ships- Britain and America started fitting merchant ships with weaponry to fight back against U-boats. Some military vessels were disguised as merchant ships and would then fire upon submarines when they surfaced. Though effective, this tactic was one of the main reasons why unrestricted warfare was restarted by the Germans as they were losing the element of surprise and being attacked by military vessels. Mines- Mines were used to block off key areas of sea. Mines were used to block sections of the North Sea and English Channel and made it difficult for submarines to sneak through these areas undetected. It made it extremely difficult for submarines to attack British ports. This tactic ended up being the most destructive weapon used by the Allies. 20  Depth Charges-These were timed mines, designed to go off underwater. This was an effective measure to deal with submarines that had submerged. A successful explosion would cause the submarine to flood and immediately sink or force the submarine to surface from where further countermeasures against the U-boat could be taken. Overall, new weapons were largely successful and were responsible for destroying 178 of the 360 U-boats destroyed during WWI. New tactics Convoys- By 1917, Britain started dedicating resources to protecting their shipping lanes. All merchant ships would travel in convoys protected by Destroyers and Cruisers, both of which were designed specifically for anti-submarine warfare. This helped reduce shipping losses by 20% by the end of 1917. Crucially, it increased the risk and cost of damage and destruction for the U-boats. German losses increased dramatically; despite the huge damage they were inflicting on Allied shipping. Long range aircraft- By 1917, planes had become advanced enough to travel out to sea to act as spotters for convoys. They could relay information to warships who in turn could hunt down or deter U-boats. Shipbuilding and experienced sailors A huge amount of credit needs to be given to the British and American shipbuilders and sailors who ensured that constant shipping across the Atlantic could continue. The shipbuilders were mass producing merchant vessels which meant that losses were easily and quickly replaced. Despite all of Germany’s efforts, Allied shipping across the Atlantic continued on a massive scale. So too the sailors who continued to travel back and forth across the Atlantic, despite all risks. It simply resulted in a U-boat campaign that Germany could never truly win. 21 Why did Germany call off their U-boat campaign in 1917? Germany could not afford it By 1917, the impact of the British blockade was having a huge impact on Germany’s war economy. Although, by 1917, damage to Allied shipping was at an all-time high ( over 6 million tons), the amount of resources that had to be dedicated to such a campaign was unsustainable. This was made significantly worse by the fact that U-boat losses had also increased in this time. The Allies had the capacity to replace their lost shipping, especially as the USA fully backed the effort in 1917 when they joined on Britain’s side. Germany, however, struggled to replace every U-boat they lost. Therefore, by the end of 1917, the German navy made the decision to massively scale back its U-Boat campaign against Britain. The Allies had won the war at sea. 22  Task: Complete the questions below. Question Answer 4 Why did the German government reinstate unrestricted warfare in 1917? 5 Give two examples of the U-boat campaign being effective 6 Give three ways in which the Allies successfully dealt with the U-boat campaign 7 Give two reasons why Germany could not maintain the U-boat campaign beyond 1917 23  Measures taken by British Success of measures taken 24  Plenary: Match the term to the correct definition U-boat A country that does not support any of the countries involved in a war. (naval) the surrounding of an area by ships to stop people or neutral supplies entering or leaving. mine The name for German sub-marines, from the German word Unterseeboten. campaign The level of confidence and positive feelings that people have. blockade A type of bomb that is hidden just below the ground or under water and that explodes when it is touched. morale A country’s ships that are used for trade, not war. 25  Week 10 EXP 2: Applying the knowledge -Exam Practice This lesson we will be looking at the exam questions from Week 10 Explore 2 and Apply task. Please have your booklet and completed work out. Question B (b) How far does Source A support the evidence of Source B about the Battle of Jutland? Explain your answer. (8 marks) Source A: From a report on the Battle of Jutland issued by the British navy on 31 May 1916. Our losses were heavy. Six cruisers were sunk, and another was abandoned. Five destroyers were lost, and six others are still missing. However, the German fleet avoided prolonged battle. When our main forces appeared, their fleet returned to port, though not before being severely damaged. The exact number of their ships that were sunk is not yet known but must have been large. Source B: From speeches about the Battle of Jutland made in the German parliament on 3 June 1916. An Admiral stated, ‘The result of the fighting is a significant success for our forces against a much stronger enemy.’ Another speaker said, ‘This battle between our navy and the best of the English fleet is a great and splendid success. Several of our ships and many brave sailors have been lost. But the enemy losses are several times greater. This proves that our fleet is able to face a superior British force and gain a victory.’ 26  Using the top tips and the mark scheme on the next page, what level and mark would you give this and why? What would your advice be to this pupil on how they could improve? Both sources agree that the British had a significant number of losses with Source A claiming, ‘our losses were heavy… others are still missing’. Similarly, Source B agrees with this by describing enemy losses as ‘several times greater’. Both Source A and Source B agree that the British fleet was substantial, for example Source B states that the British used the ‘best of the English fleet’ and that it was a ‘much stronger enemy’. Source A supports this by saying ‘when our main forces appeared, their fleet returned to port’, possibly because they saw them as a huge threat. However, Source B claims that it was a German Victory, describing it as ‘a great and splendid success’, and suggests that this proves its fleet was better and could overcome the British in battle. Whereas Source A disagrees with this by stating that the Germans ‘avoided a prolonged battle’ and when the British main forces joined in, the Germans fled, suggesting a retreat, and were ‘severely damaged’. Mark WWW EBI 27 Top Tips - Question B You must write about what the sources agree on (what is the same) AND what they disagree on (what is different). If don’t write about both, then you can’t get above 4 marks. You must use evidence from the source – short sharp quotations. For the highest marks you must explain the ‘extent’ to which one source supports/agrees with the other. Is it a lot? Is there hardly any agreement? Is the tone or emphasis different? 28  Full Mark Answer! b) How far does Source A support the evidence of Source B about the Battle of Jutland? Explain your answer. (8marks) What does this paragraph do? What Both sources agree that the British had a significant number of losses with is its purpose? Source A claiming, ‘our losses were heavy… others are still missing’. Similarly, Source B agrees with this by describing enemy losses as ‘several times greater’. Both Source A and Source B agree that the British fleet was substantial, for example Source B states that the British used the ‘best of the English fleet’ and that it was a ‘much stronger enemy’. Source A supports this by saying ‘when our main forces appeared, their fleet returned to port’, possibly because they saw them as a huge threat. What does this paragraph do? Can However, Source B claims that it was a German Victory, describing it as ‘a great you highlight and splendid success’, and suggests that this proves its fleet was better and examples of this? could overcome the British in battle. Whereas Source A disagrees with this by stating that the Germans ‘avoided a prolonged battle’ and when the British main forces joined in, the Germans fled, suggesting a retreat, and were ‘severely damaged’. What does this To conclude Sources A and B do support each other to a slight extent. They paragraph do? Can agree that the British significant casualties. However, the sources seem to you highlight examples of this? disagree quite strongly on the outcomes of the battle. In source A, it is implied that the battle actually resulted in what can only be inferred as a German retreat of some kind, which quite drastically contrasts the statement in Source B that Germany was the clear victor at Jutland. 29 (c) Extract C suggests that the German navy did not pose a threat to Britain in the First World War. How far do you agree with this interpretation? Use Extract C, Sources A and B and your own knowledge to explain your answer. (16) Extract C: From Europe 1870–1991, published in 2000. The British enjoyed naval supremacy for most of the war. This enabled allied troops to be transported easily and made possible the crippling blockade of the German coast. After Jutland, the only major naval battle of the conflict, both sides claimed victory. The German fleet demonstrated superior gunnery and ship design but did not really pose a threat. Only the complete destruction of the British fleet would have allowed Germany to win the war. This they failed to achieve. Source A: From a report on the Battle of Jutland issued by the British navy on 31 May 1916. Our losses were heavy. Six cruisers were sunk, and another was abandoned. Five destroyers were lost, and six others are still missing. However, the German fleet avoided prolonged battle. When our main forces appeared, their fleet returned to port, though not before being severely damaged. The exact number of their ships that were sunk is not yet known but must have been large. Source B: From speeches about the Battle of Jutland made in the German parliament on 3 June 1916. An Admiral stated, ‘The result of the fighting is a significant success for our forces against a much stronger enemy.’ Another speaker said, ‘This battle between our navy and the best of the English fleet is a great and splendid success. Several of our ships and many brave sailors have been lost. But the enemy losses are several times greater. This proves that our fleet is able to face a superior British force and gain a victory.’ 30  Why is this a full Mark Answer? (c) Extract C suggests that the German navy did not pose a threat to Britain in the First World War. How far do you agree with this interpretation? Use Extract C, Sources A and B and your own knowledge to explain your answer. (16 marks) Overall, I personally disagree with the interpretation What does this paragraph do? What is its that the Germany navy did not pose a threat to purpose? Britain during the First World War. However, it should be acknowledged that Britain was in many ways Germany’s superior in the war at sea for much of the war. There is clear evidence in the sources to suggest that What does this paragraph do? Can you during the majority of the First World War, the highlight examples of this? German navy did not pose a threat to Britain. Extract C states that Britain “enjoyed naval supremacy” for most of the war. Extract C also refers to the ability held by the British to transport troops “freely” across the channel without challenge, as well as explaining how the “crippling blockade” of the German coastline was made possible by Britain’s naval dominance. Moreover, Source A also supports this interpretation by claiming that the Battle of Jutland resulted in heavy losses for the German navy. This is highlighted by the phrase “severely damaged,” and by the way the author suggests that the number of German ships sunk “must have been large.” The source also further suggests that the outcome of the battle weighted in favour of the British, by implying that the German fleet retreated and “returned to port.” Source B additionally supports this interpretation, as it suggests that German losses at the battle of Jutland were severe, claiming that “several” ships were sunk and “many brave sailors” killed. Drawing from my own knowledge, Britain was in possession of a significantly larger naval fleet than Germany. This meant that, although the losses sustained by the British at the Battle of Jutland were large, this did not have a fatal effect on their navy due to its sheer size. As well as this, the British were able to develop tactics to protect its shipping against the U-Boat threat posed by the German navy. For example, depth charges and deep-sea mines were placed across vast expanses of the English Channel and North Sea. This leads me to believe that Germany did not pose an entirely dire threat towards Britain. However, there are a number of reasons, both in the What does this paragraph do? Can you sources/extracts and my own knowledge, that lead me highlight examples of this? 31 to disagree with this interpretation. In Extract C, it is stated that the German fleet “demonstrated superior gunnery,” which suggests that they were in fact a danger to the opposing British fleet. Furthermore, Source A suggests that the German forces were able to inflict damage on the British fleet, claiming that British losses “were heavy.” It also goes on to explain how “six cruisers” and “five destroyers” were sunk, both of which support the idea that the Germans inflicted heavy damage on the British at Jutland. Alongside Extract C and Source A, Source B also disagrees with the interpretation in question. The phrase “enemy losses are several times greater” implies that the British suffered terrible losses at the hands of the Germans, just as Source A and Extract C do. The source also claims that the Battle of Jutland was a “significant success” for the Germans, which in turn suggests that they were dangerous enough to take the victory during a fierce battle. From my own knowledge, the bombardment of British coastal towns at the hands of the Germans leads me to believe that the Germans were in fact a threat. For example, the German raid on Scarborough during December 1914 caused a substantial number of civilian casualties. Moreover, the second U-Boat campaign launched by the German navy in 1917 had a detrimental effect on the British war effort. In just eight weeks, five- hundred supply ships bound for Britain were sunk, and by the end of 1917 six million tonnes of allied supply shipping had been destroyed. Consequently, it was predicted in the April of 1917 that Britain’s food supply would diminish within six weeks, because of the apparent success of the German U-Boat campaign. To conclude, I agree partially with the interpretation What is the purpose of this paragraph.? that generally the German navy did not pose a threat Can you highlight examples of this? to the British during the First World War. This is because, in the early stages of the war and prior to it, the British navy was the more dominant of the two and held more power over the English Channel than Germany, meaning that allied troops and supplies could be transported to mainland Europe easily. However, in some ways I disagree with this interpretation. Although the Battle of Jutland is claimed as a victory by both sides, the German fleet was able to inflict a significantly of losses on the British. More 32 importantly, Germany’s U-Boat campaign had a near fatal effect on Britain’s shipping and consequently its food supply, as well as on the morale of its inhabitants. This leads me to believe that the German navy, at times, posed a very real threat to Britain during the First World War. Be a magpie: things that I can steal and use 33  Checklist: The War at Sea Topics You should be able to: Done? Exam Questions Done? Explain why the war at sea was Describe two so important to Britain and features of the war The key Germany at sea Describe the events and results Describe two events of the Battle of Heligoland features of the of the Describe why the German Navy British blockade of war at raided towns along the east Germany Sea coast of Britain and the results Describe two of the raids. features of the Describe the events and Battle of Jutland results of the Battle of Dogger Banks. The Battle of Explain why Britain were Jutland was a eventually able to win the war complete victory for at sea. the British Navy.’ Do Describe the, events and you agree? effects of the Battle of Jutland. ‘The main reason for Describe the two the defeat of interpretations on who won the Germany in 1918 was Battle of Jutland. the British Naval Describe the key features of Blockade.’ Do you the British Naval Blockade. agree? The U Describe the main features of Describe two Boat the U-boat campaign features of the U Campaign Describe how Britain tried to boat campaign challenge German U-boats Describe two features of the 34  Describe the events sinking of the surrounding the sinking of the Lusitania ‘Lusitania’ The failure of the Explain why Britain eventually German U-boat defeated the U-boat threat campaign is the main reason why Germany eventually lost the war in 1918.’ Do you agree? 35