Abstract
During the nineteenth century Great Britain, the dominant sea power, had an influence on the naval policy of all other Great Powers having any kind of navy.1 Based on the theories of Alfred Th. Mahan,2 at the end of the nineteenth century, navies, in the form of a battle fleet, were increasingly regarded as an essential instrument for a great power wishing to represent and enforce world-wide interests. Owing to the German Reich’s position in Central Europe, with potential enemies in both East and West, the build-up of the Navy was for a long time overshadowed by the army. Until 1897, its strategic horizons were limited to forward coastal defence. It was not until the time of Alfred Tirpitz3 that the systematic building of a battle fleet got under way.
Published Version
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