Naval Warfare of World War I

In this episode, we explore the naval warfare of World War I, focusing on the fierce maritime rivalry between Britain and Germany that reshaped modern sea power. We examine how the German Fleet Acts, the launch of HMS Dreadnought, and Alfred Thayer Mahan’s ideas about naval dominance drove an unprecedented arms race, setting the stage for major conflict at sea. The episode highlights the Battle of Jutland, the war’s largest naval engagement, along with the tactical decisions, communication failures, and British codebreaking efforts of Room 40 that shaped its outcome. We also look at Germany’s submarine campaign and commerce raiders, Britain’s devastating strategic blockade, and how new technologies such as torpedoes, mines, and radio transformed naval strategy and helped determine the course of the war.