The First World War: Episode 7
BLOCKADE
PROGRAMME LENGTH
1 hour
SCREENING DETAILS
Monday 26 October at 9.30am EST/ NZ
This program concentrates on describing and assessing the measures taken by Britain
and Germany to blockade each other during World War 1. There is quite considerable
discussion of naval strategies and particularly the role of submarine warfare. There is
also interesting insight into the role of the USA as a “neutral” power.
The whole program is made up of archival footage with narration interspersed by
comments from contemporary observers and decision makers. There are some
interesting perspectives that will reward further research and discussion.
This is a neglected aspect of the war and one that played a much larger part in the
Allied victory than is usually credited. The engagement with and pursuit of the themes
and ideas introduced in this program will reward students with a fuller understanding
of this conflict.
Dr Denis Mootz
STAYING FOCUSED.
This is the data collection stage of the activity.
The detailed questioning is designed to ensure that students decode the visual and aural materials
presented to them in the video.
The video programs can be stopped at the end of each section. This will allow students to share and
discuss answers.
Introduction.
Who had the world’s greatest navies in August 1914?
Note Churchill’s comments. Implications?
Why did the two fleets rarely meet? Implications? Result?
Act 1.
Why was there a ‘cold war’ until 1914?
What was a “dreadnaught”?
Note the analogy of a poker game. Implications?
Note the size of the various navies in 1914. Implications?
Why did the “cold war” end? Result?
Note the problems faced by the German navy in late 1914.
Note the problems faced by the British navy in late 1914.
What was the potential if they met in battle? Implications?
Why did Germany build up its submarine force? Result? Implications?
Note the comment by Jackie Fisher. Implications?
Note the action of U-21 in August 1914. Result?
What other “good news” did the Germans get in September 1914? Result?
How did the Kaiser respond tot his ‘victory”?
How did the British respond to the loss of so many men and ships?
Note details of British Grand Fleet chief Admiral John Jellicoe.
How did Jellicoe respond to the German U-boat threat? Result?
Note the location of the German U-boat base.
Note the German naval action of 16 December1914. Result? Implications?
What was Jellicoe’s plan for “hitting” the enemy “homeland”? Result?
Note the description of the impact of this policy on the North Sea.
What invention helped Jellicoe’s plan? How? Result?
Note details of “Room 40”.
When did the ‘code-breakers’ get the “clue” they needed? Result?
Why was this an “immense advantage”?
Act 2.
Note the description and illustration of the complete British naval strategy.
Who conceived this strategy?
Note the comments from Maurice Hankey. Implications?
Note the size of the pre-war German merchant fleet.
What action was taken against German merchant ships? Result?
Which other countries were affected by Britain’s blockade? Result?
How did the British monitor shipping? Result?
Note the situation of Caroline Ethel Cooper. Result?
Note her comments on the impact of British blockade.
What does she mean by the expression the “war against neutral shipping”? Implications?
Note details of the German Navy’s solution to this isolation.
How did the USA respond to the war between Germany and Britain? Result?
Why was US industry experiencing a “boom”?
Note the reception of the Deutschland in the USA. Implications?
How was the success of the Deutschland’s voyage celebrated in Germany? Result?
Note the comments on the “situation” in Germany and Austria. Implications?
Why did the situation worsen in 1916? Result?
How did the German population react to the food shortages? Result?
Why was it “horribly cold”? Result?
Note the comments on the inaction of the German Fleet. Result?
What orders had been issued to Admiral Sheer? Result?
Act 3.
Note the action of May 1916.
Why were the British “one jump” ahead? Result?
Note details of the Battle of Jutland.
What were the implications for Britain of this battle?
Note Churchill’s comment.
Why did the British prefer a long-range fight? Result?
Note the fate of the battle-cruiser Queen Mary. Implications?
Note Admiral Beatty’s comment.
Why were the Germans forced to “break off” the action? Result?
Why didn’t Jellicoe pursue the retreating German Fleet? Result?
What were the losses on both sides? Result?
Who ruled the North Sea after May 1916? Implications? Result?
Act 4.
How did the Germans attempt to blockade Britain? Result?
Note the success of the German commerce raider Moewe.
When did the U-boats begin operating against commerce ships?
Note the British response to this development. Result?
Why were the Germans hesitant to use submarines without warning?
Note how submarines operated in these circumstances. Result?
Why was the U-boat blockade unsuccessful up to 1916? Result?
What were Q-ships?
Note details of a Q-ship in operation? Result?
Note the Kaiser’s announcement of 1 February 1915. Implications?
Note details of the “sinking” of the Cunard Line’s SS Lusitania.
Note the German advice to the Lusitania’s passengers. Result?
Why did the fate of the Lusitania overshadow other deaths in WW1? Result?
Note the comments on the German reaction to the sinking.
How did the British exploit the general belief that Germany was “brutal”? Result?
Why did the USA remain “prepared but neutral” for two more years?
Note details of Germany’s policy in the USA after 1915.
Note the activities of German spies in the USA. Result?
What measures were taken to identify and combat German espionage? Result?
Act 5.
How did events in WW1 affect the USA stock exchange? Implications?
How did Britain finance the war effort? Result?
Why did Germans question USA commitment to “neutrality”?
Note Ethel Cooper’s comments to her sister.
Why were German “Generals” impatient of politicians? Result?
Note Hindenburg’s comments on submarine warfare? Implications? Result?
Note the Kaiser’s attitude.
Why were the Germans unconcerned about USA entering the war? Implications?
Note the German peace proposal of December 1916. Implications? Result?
Note details of the policy introduced by Germany on 2 February 1917.
What was the immediate impact of Germany’s new U-boat policy?
Why did this success not continue?
Note details of the convoy “system”. Result? Implications?
Note the German POWs reaction to being captured.
Why was the new U-boat campaign a “double failure”?
Note the message intercepted and decoded on 16 January 1917. Implications? Result?
Note the description of the Zimmerman “plan”.
How did the USA respond when made aware of the Zimmerman “plan”? Result?
What was Wilson’s belief about the war?
What desperate task did the Germans set themselves?
EXTENSIONS.
Useful, interesting, challenging, books, sources and websites will provide materials to supplement and
complement the History presented in the video program.
The data collected here should be used in the notemaking below.
Some useful Internet sites:
British Navy 1914: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-German_naval_arms_race
http://spartacus-educational.com/FWWnavy.htm
http://www.naval-history.net/Oxon01-ShipList.htm
http://blog.findmypast.com.au/2014/the-battle-to-rule-the-waves-the-royal-navy-in-world-war-1/
http://www.bl.uk/world-war-one/articles/the-war-at-sea
http://www.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/wwi/wwisea/
http://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/ww1-warships.asp
German Navy 1914: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Imperial_Naval_Office
http://spartacus-educational.com/FWWgermanN.htm
http://spartacus-educational.com/FWWtirpitz.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_German_Navy
http://www.sms-navy.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_von_Spee
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinhard_Scheer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ships_of_the_Imperial_German_Navy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WAP1wvyI5g
Naval battles WW1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_warfare_of_World_War_I
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Heligoland_Bight_(1914)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Coronel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Falkland_Islands
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dogger_Bank_(1915)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Jutland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyYTkHcJ33c
Unterseeboots (U-boats) WW1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-boat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-boat_Campaign_(World_War_I)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_U-boat_campaign_of_World_War_I
http://uboat.net/wwi/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCrzaC4aLPg
http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/podcasts/voices-of-the-first-world-war/podcast-26-the-submarine-war
British Blockade of Europe WW1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockade_of_Germany
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/firstworldwar/spotlights/blockade.htm
http://io9.com/was-britains-wwi-blockade-the-first-atrocity-of-the-20t-1665227466
German Blockade of Britain WW1: http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/pohl_uboatwar1915.htm
http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/uboat_bernstorff.htm
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germany-declares-war-zone-around-british-isles
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-one/naval-warfare-and-world-war-one/unrestricted-submarinewarfare/
USA and blockades: http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1096.html
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/history/euro-hist/american-entry-world-war-I/v/blockades-u-boatsand-sinking-of-the-lusitania
http://www.westga.edu/~hgoodson/World%20War%20I.htm
http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/uboat_wilson.htm
The convoy “system” WW1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convoys_in_World_War_I
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-naval-convoy-system-introduced
http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/atlantic/convoy.aspx
Impact of blockades: http://histclo.com/mat/rat/cou/ger/ww1-ratg.html
http://histclo.com/essay/war/ww1/sea/w1s-block.html
https://mises.org/library/blockade-and-attempted-starvation-germany
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkmJuXZpMUU
NOTEMAKING.
This is the collation stage of the activity. Students need to organise the field of information and begin to
explore its context.
Directions and /or Inquiry questions are provided for notemaking / summary exercises that
will follow the viewing of the video.
The materials / data for the summaries have been collected above.
The activity could be done in teams, groups, or by individuals, or as a class with teacher direction.
1. Draw up a timeline / chronological chart of the events described and discussed in this program.
2. Note details of the navies of the major European powers in August 1914.
3. Note details of the naval strategy adopted by the major European powers in August 1914.
4. Note details of the naval battles and engagements of WW1.
5. Note details of the German submarine “fleet” during WW1.
6. Note details of the impact of the British blockade of Germany.
7. Note details of the impact of the German blockade of Britain.
8. Note details of the policy of the USA towards blockades before entering WW1.
9. Note details of ‘restricted’ submarine warfare.
10. Note details of the convoy “system”.
ISSUES & INQUIRY.
Key issues and inquiry questions that have been raised by the video are addressed at this stage for
discussion and research.
1. Why did both navies avoid a major clash before 1916? Result?
2. What “right” did Britain have to stop and search neutral shipping?
PROBLEMS of EVIDENCE.
Questions of reliability and validity of the perspectives, evidence and sources presented in the video
program need to be considered, tested and researched.
1. What “rules” governed the conduct of submarine warfare in 1914?
2. What evidence is there to indicate the success of Britain’s blockade of Germany?
COMMUNICATING.
The key issues and inquiry questions are potential topics for debate, essay writing, reports, historical
recount and explanation.
1. Write a REPORT on the impact of the British blockade on German civilians.
2. Prepare notes (both sides) for a DEBATE of the proposition that
Britain’s blockade policy was just as ruthless as unrestricted submarine warfare.
3. Assess the impact of naval blockades on the main combatants of WW1.