German High Seas Fleet 1914–18

The Kaiser’s challenge to the Royal Navy

German High Seas Fleet 1914–18 cover

Description

A superbly illustrated new account of how Germany's High Seas Fleet was built, operated and fought, as it challenged the world's most powerful navy in World War I.

Seven years before the outbreak of World War I, the Imperial German Navy rebranded its Home Fleet as the Hochseeflotte, or High Seas Fleet. It was a force designed to take on the Royal Navy, then the world's most powerful, and for the next four years the North Sea would be their battleground.

Drawing on extensive research, Angus Konstam offers the reader a concise, fully illustrated account of how the entire High Seas Fleet was designed and built, how it operated, and how it fought. The fleet was a modern, balanced force of dreadnought battleships, battlecruisers, cruisers and torpedo boats, using Zeppelins and U-boats for reconnaissance. The ultimate test between them came in May 1916, when they clashed at Jutland.

Packed with spectacular original artwork, maps, 3D diagrams and archive photos, it explains how and why the fleet was built, its role, and how and why it fought as it did. From fighting doctrine and crew training to intelligence, logistics, and gunnery, this book is an essential guide to the Kaiser's audacious bid for naval glory.

Table of Contents

THE FLEET'S PURPOSE
The Kaiser's 'Luxury Fleet'
The Risk Theory
Force Balancing
FLEET FIGHTING POWER
The Ships
Technology
Light Forces
HOW THE FLEET OPERATED
Organization
Command and Control
Communications and Intelligence
Bases and Logistics
COMBAT AND ANALYSIS
The Fleet in Combat
Analysis
FURTHER READING

Product details

Published Sep 28 2023
Format Ebook (PDF)
Edition 1st
Extent 80
ISBN 9781472856449
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations Illustrated throughout with at least 40 archive photos and 15 pages of original colour illustrations
Series Fleet
Short code FLT 2
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Angus Konstam

Angus Konstam is a Fellow of the Royal Historical…

Illustrator

Edouard A. Groult

Edouard Groult grew up inspired by watching histor…

Resources

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