Mike Farquharson-Roberts Knihy

For many years the naval warfare of World War I has been largely overlooked; yet, at the outbreak of that war, the British Government had expected and intended its military contribution to the conflict to be largely naval. Britain was not simply defending an island; it was defending a far flung empire. Without the navy such an undertaking would have been impossible. Following the naval arms race in the early 20th century, both Britain and Germany were equipped with the latest naval technology, including revolutionary new vessels such as dreadnoughts and diesel-powered submarines. Although the Royal Navys operations in World War I were global, most of the fleets strength was concentrated in the Grand Fleet, which confronted the German High Seas Fleet across the North Sea. At the Battle of Jutland in 1916 the Royal Navy, under the coand of Admiral Jellicoe, fought an iconic, if inconclusive battle for control of shipping routes. 43,244 Royal Navy personnel lost their lives fighting on the seas in World War I. This book tells their story and places the navy back at the heart of the British war effort.

The book critically examines the evolution of the Royal Navy's Executive branch between the two World Wars, focusing on how their experiences during the First World War shaped their readiness for the challenges of the Second World War. It highlights key changes and developments that contributed to their effectiveness in a time of global conflict, providing insights into military strategy and organizational transformation.

This book tells the story and places the Royal Navy back at the heart of the British war effort, showing that without the naval dimension the First World War would not have been a truly global conflict.