Chapter Summaries

Vice Admiral David Beatty pursued Vice Admiral Spee and Vice Admiral Hipper after the German Commerce Raiding Fleet retreated, while Admiral Reinhard Scheer brought the German Navy’s Derfflinger-class Battlecruisers toward the battle. Scheer ordered Spee and Hipper to hold off the British Battlecruisers as his force moved to engage the British Battleships.

• Vice Admiral David Beatty learned that the German fleet was retreating and realized German seaplanes had exposed the British ambush.
• Beatty ordered his nine Battlecruisers to pursue the German Commerce Raiding Fleet, while four Iron Duke-class Battleships tried to intercept it.
• Vice Admiral Spee and Vice Admiral Hipper directed their fleet to keep retreating and reported that the Derfflinger-class Battlecruisers were joining the fight.
• Admiral Reinhard Scheer led three Derfflinger-class Battlecruisers south and learned that the British had committed nine Battlecruisers and four Iron Duke-class Battleships.
• Scheer ordered Spee and Hipper to hold the British Battlecruisers while his own force engaged the British Battleships.

Admiral Reinhard Scheer split the German fleet to pit three powerful Derfflinger-class battlecruisers against four slower British battleships while Vice Admiral Spee and Vice Admiral Hipper drew the British battlecruisers away. The plan left Rear Admiral Robertson’s squadron facing three newly sighted German warships, and he warned Admiral Beatty that the British had fallen into a trap.

• Admiral Reinhard Scheer ordered three Derfflinger-class battlecruisers south to engage the British Iron Duke-class battleships while the German raiding fleet handled the British battlecruisers.
• Vice Admiral Spee and Vice Admiral Hipper accelerated to widen the gap between the British battlecruisers and battleships before turning to fight.
• Rear Admiral Robertson ordered his battleships to increase speed, but his Chief Engineer warned that pushing the boilers further could damage them or cause explosions.
• Rear Admiral Robertson spotted three German warships to the north, recognized the fleet was trapped, and ordered a warning telegram sent to Admiral Beatty.

Vice Admiral David Beatty pursued the German fleet, then learned that it had turned to fight and that three German warships carried guns of about 380mm. Faced with superior German ships and pressure from the British Cabinet, Beatty refused to retreat and ordered his fleet to engage, leaving the battle about to begin.

• Vice Admiral David Beatty ordered the British fleet to keep pursuing the German High Seas Fleet despite warnings that the boilers might not hold out.
• After reports that the German fleet had slowed and turned to fight, Beatty ordered his ships to turn and prepare for battle.
• A staff officer reported that General Robertson's force had encountered three German warships armed with guns of about 380mm.
• Beatty weighed retreat against the losses already suffered and the Cabinet's demand for victory, then rejected retreat.
• Beatty ordered General Robertson to hold off the three powerful German ships while the Battlecruiser Squadron closed in, and urged the British crews to fight to the death.

Rear Admiral Robertson and Vice Admiral David Beatty prepared their British squadrons to face the German Navy’s Battlecruisers, despite serious concerns about their ships’ weaknesses. The fleets closed for battle, leaving the outcome unresolved.

• Rear Admiral Robertson ordered his four Iron Duke-class Battleships to fight the three German Derfflinger-class Battlecruisers because they could not outrun them.
• Admiral Reinhard Scheer ordered his Battlecruisers to open fire at fifteen thousand meters and use seaplanes for fire spotting.
• Rear Admiral Robertson assigned two British Battleships to target Derfflinger and one each to target Lützow and Hindenburg.
• Admiral Reinhard Scheer ordered SMS Lützow and Hindenburg to exploit the attack on Derfflinger and sink their opponents.
• Vice Admiral David Beatty assigned his nine Battlecruisers to engage the six German ships, pairing two British ships against several German opponents.
• The chapter described the weak armor of the British Indefatigable-class and Invincible-class Battlecruisers, which faced German ships with far stronger guns.

The British and German fleets began a fierce naval battle, with Germany’s better-armored ships holding the advantage as both sides fought to secure a decisive victory. The battle left Vice Admiral David Beatty and the British fleet committed to pressing on, while the German Navy sought to establish the foundation for winning the war at sea.

• The German battlecruisers opened fire at fifteen thousand meters, targeting British battlecruisers, and the British ships returned fire while trying to close the range.
• The German fleet kept the range between twelve and thirteen thousand meters, where its stronger armor and guns gave it the advantage over the British ships.
• At 11:45 a.m., Von der Tann bracketed Australia and concentrated its fire on the British battlecruiser.
• Three German Derfflinger-class battlecruisers began fighting four British Iron Duke-class battleships, whose crews knew their armor could not withstand many 380mm hits.
• Vice Admiral David Beatty continued the fight because retreat would waste Britain’s losses, while the German Navy also committed itself to winning the battle.

British and German battlecruisers exchanged heavy fire, and German hits forced Indomitable to withdraw before Blücher destroyed HMS Indefatigable. The battle continued with the British fleet down two ships.

• HMS Invincible hit Von der Tann, while Lothringen struck Indomitable twice and caused severe flooding and fires.
• Vice Admiral David Beatty approved Indomitable's withdrawal under destroyer escort after her captain reported that she was taking on water and listing.
• Vice Admiral Hipper ordered Lothringen to attack HMS Indefatigable as the German fleet sought to reduce the British numerical advantage.
• At 12:14, Blücher hit HMS Indefatigable with two shells, one of which penetrated the No. 2 turret and magazine.
• The magazine exploded, leaving HMS Indefatigable a shattered wreck.

The German Derfflinger-class battlecruisers and British Iron Duke-class battleships began exchanging fire, with German gunnery quickly putting the British ships under pressure. A British shell damaged the Derfflinger’s conning tower without penetrating it, while the Hindenburg later destroyed two of the Emperor of India’s turrets.

• Rear Admiral Robertson ordered the unengaged HMS Marlborough to fire on the Derfflinger, but the British battleship failed to straddle its target.
• The SMS Lützow straddled the HMS Benbow and shifted to concentrated fire, while the Hindenburg straddled the HMS Emperor of India and also began concentrated fire.
• A British shell struck the Derfflinger’s conning tower but failed to penetrate its armor, though the blast killed sailors and knocked officers unconscious, including Admiral Reinhard Scheer falling over.
• The Derfflinger resumed firing after a brief interruption, and the Hindenburg struck the HMS Emperor of India’s Number Two Turret with a 380mm shell.
• The blast destroyed the Number Two Turret and smashed the Number One Turret, costing the HMS Emperor of India forty percent of its firepower.

Rear Admiral Robertson’s Iron Duke-class squadron was overwhelmed by the German battlecruisers, and HMS Emperor of India sank with all hands. Vice Admiral Beatty learned of the loss as the British fleet’s position worsened, leaving him to search for a way to keep Robertson’s remaining ships afloat.

• Rear Admiral Robertson received reports of damage to HMS Emperor of India and feared its squadron could not withstand the German ships’ 380mm guns.
• Hindenburg crippled HMS Emperor of India with repeated hits, destroying its propeller shaft and leaving it nearly motionless.
• Admiral Reinhard Scheer ordered Hindenburg to sink the British battleship, and HMS Emperor of India broke apart and sank with its crew.
• Scheer reassigned the German battlecruisers to attack HMS Marlborough and HMS Benbow after the fight became three ships against three.
• Vice Admiral David Beatty learned that HMS Emperor of India had sunk and told Robertson to hold out while he considered what to do.

The German Navy raiding fleet gained the upper hand in its battle against Vice Admiral Beatty’s British squadron, sinking Australia and Indefatigable. Beatty ordered a retreat and told Rear Admiral Robertson to hold back the Germans with the remaining fleet.

• Vice Admiral Beatty rallied the Royal Navy’s officers and men and ordered them to attack with all their strength.
• A British shell damaged Seydlitz, and Vice Admiral Hipper ordered the battlecruiser to withdraw rather than risk losing it.
• Von der Tann’s shells disabled Australia, forcing its captain to order the crew to abandon ship.
• Lothringen tore open Indefatigable’s waterline armor, and the battlecruiser capsized and sank despite damage-control efforts.
• After the forces dwindled to five ships on each side, Vice Admiral Beatty ordered the British fleet to retreat and tasked Rear Admiral Robertson with holding back the Germans.

Vice Admiral David Beatty ordered the surviving British Battlecruisers to retreat while the Iron Duke-class Battleships stayed behind. Admiral Reinhard Scheer’s forces destroyed the remaining British Battleships, leaving the German Navy with a major victory.

• Vice Admiral David Beatty ordered five British Battlecruisers to withdraw and the three Iron Duke-class Battleships to hold off the Germans.
• Vice Admiral Hipper and Vice Admiral Spee decided the British were retreating for good and joined Admiral Reinhard Scheer to attack the remaining Battleships.
• Rear Admiral Robertson condemned Beatty’s order but stayed to fight because his damaged HMS Iron Duke could not outrun the German ships.
• Admiral Reinhard Scheer ordered his fleet to finish off the three Iron Duke-class Battleships, which fought on despite overwhelming odds.
• HMS Benbow, HMS Marlborough, and HMS Iron Duke were sunk, and Rear Admiral Robertson and other British officers were captured.
• The German Navy ended the battle having sunk seven British Battleships and three Battlecruisers, while heavily damaging one Battleship and one Battlecruiser at the cost of one heavily damaged Battlecruiser.

Major Edward and Captain Martin escorted British merchant ships south, believing the German fleet would not pursue them, while Dönitz’s U-039 searched for the British main fleet. U-039 instead encountered the merchant convoy, and Dönitz prepared to attack it.

• Major Edward reassured Captain Martin that the Royal Navy would defeat the Germans and ordered him to focus on escorting the merchant ships back to Britain.
• Dönitz and U-039 surfaced to recharge their batteries while searching for the British fleet under orders to attack its capital ships if possible.
• Dönitz spotted masts to the north and ordered U-039 to dive immediately.
• After identifying the vessels overhead as a merchant convoy escorted by destroyers, Dönitz welcomed the chance to attack them.

Dönitz coordinated a nine-submarine wolf pack to ambush a British convoy, and the attack threw the convoy into chaos and sank multiple merchant ships. The German submarines withdrew after exhausting their torpedoes, while British destroyers searched unsuccessfully for them.

• Dönitz ordered U-039 to alert the other submarines to the British convoy, and the boats deployed around it.
• At 3:45 p.m., U-048 torpedoed a British merchant ship, and several other submarines soon attacked.
• Major Edward recognized the attack as a German submarine ambush and ordered the escorting destroyers to hunt the submarines.
• The British merchant ships scattered, collided, and sank amid the confusion as destroyers dropped depth charges without locating their targets.
• Dönitz torpedoed another merchant ship, then ordered an emergency dive as a British destroyer approached.
• After more than half an hour, the German submarines withdrew with their torpedoes spent, having sunk multiple merchant ships.

Churchill and Admiral John Jellicoe waited anxiously for news of Vice Admiral David Beatty’s battle against the German Commerce Raiding Fleet. Beatty’s defeat left Britain facing a dangerous threat to its sea lanes and a difficult wait until its newest Battleships entered service.

• Churchill asked whether news had arrived from Admiral David Beatty, and his secretary said there was none.
• Churchill asked Admiral John Jellicoe what Britain would do if Beatty failed, and Jellicoe proposed protecting shipping under neutral flags and waiting for new Battleships.
• A staff officer reported that Admiral David Beatty had been defeated and was retreating.
• Admiral John Jellicoe read Beatty’s Telegram and learned that the Germans had anticipated the British trap and prepared for it.

Churchill learned that the Royal Navy had suffered a crushing defeat against German battlecruisers and feared it could no longer match the German fleet. As he and Jellicoe discussed building stronger ships, news arrived that German submarines had sunk fourteen merchant ships in a convoy.

• Churchill asked Jellicoe how Beatty had lost, and Jellicoe explained that Germany had deployed three powerful battlecruisers armed with 380mm guns.
• Jellicoe reported that Britain had lost seven battleships and three battlecruisers, with two more capital ships heavily damaged.
• Churchill and Jellicoe recognized that British ships had inadequate armor and discussed building a new class of capital ships as quickly as possible.
• Churchill said he would seek the Prime Minister's support for new construction while Jellicoe prepared the design materials.
• A staff officer reported that German submarines had attacked a convoy and sunk fourteen merchant ships, leaving Churchill and Jellicoe alarmed.

Churchill briefed Prime Minister Asquith and the Cabinet on the Royal Navy’s devastating losses and explained that German firepower and Britain’s weakly armored ships had caused the defeat. The meeting ended with Churchill warning that Britain might lose a decisive battle to Germany, leaving the Cabinet fearful for the Empire’s future.

• Churchill reported that Britain had lost numerous capital ships and that the Indomitable and King George V needed months of repairs.
• Churchill blamed the losses on Germany’s ambush with 380mm-gunned battlecruisers and Britain’s shipbuilding focus on speed and firepower over armor.
• Asquith angrily questioned the failures of British intelligence and the Navy’s ship-design evaluations.
• Grey asked whether the Royal Navy could still win, and Churchill warned that Britain was in grave danger after losing eleven capital ships, including Lion.
• Lloyd George asked whether the incoming Queen Elizabeth-class and Revenge-class battleships could restore the balance, but Churchill said the Germans still outnumbered and outmatched them.
• The Cabinet feared that losing naval supremacy would cost Britain its colonies and its position as a world power.

Prime Minister Asquith rejected peace talks and committed Britain to continuing the war against Germany, while Churchill proposed a massive program to rebuild the Royal Navy. The chapter ended with plans for twelve new battleships set to begin construction within a month.

• A Cabinet Minister proposed negotiating peace, but Sir Edward Grey and Richard Haldane argued that Germany would not accept talks while it held the advantage.
• Prime Minister Asquith ruled out peace and ordered the Cabinet to support the Royal Navy’s efforts to restore its strength.
• Churchill returned to the Naval Ministry, where Admiral Jellicoe and naval officers prepared an emergency battleship construction plan.
• Churchill presented Asquith with plans for four new Iron Duke-class Battleships, new King George V-class Battleships, and four Lion-class Battleships.
• Churchill said the twelve Battleships would begin construction over the next month and could be completed within one and a half to two years.

Prime Minister Asquith and Churchill discussed a costly plan to build twenty-two new battleships and battlecruisers within two years after the Royal Navy’s crushing defeat. Asquith then reassured King George V that the Navy would rebuild and defeat the Germans.

• Churchill described plans to build twelve battleships and ten battlecruisers, while Asquith trusted that the shipyards could complete them within two years.
• Churchill said the twenty-two ships would cost around seventy million Pounds Sterling, and Asquith agreed to seek funding from the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Parliament.
• Asquith promised Churchill his full support and ordered him to find ways to strengthen the Royal Navy.
• After a secretary summoned Asquith to Buckingham Palace, he left to meet King George V.
• King George V asked whether the Royal Navy had lost ten Capital Ships and could still defeat Germany, and Asquith assured him the Navy would rebuild and win.

Prime Minister Asquith secured royal funding to begin the Royal Navy's shipbuilding plan, but feared Britain could not survive German attacks on its sea lanes until the ships were ready. He discussed using American shipping and drawing the United States into the war, and ordered Britain's ambassador to approach the Americans.

• King George V offered twenty million Pounds Sterling toward the navy's seventy-million-pound shipbuilding plan.
• Asquith worried that German commerce raiding could cut Britain's sea lanes before the new warships were completed.
• Asquith summoned Churchill and Sir Edward Grey to discuss protecting maritime transport routes.
• Churchill proposed using American-flagged or American-owned merchant ships to deter German attacks.
• Grey urged Britain to increase purchases and borrowing from the United States to give the Americans a stake in Britain's victory.
• Asquith ordered the ambassador to the United States to approach the Americans about joining Britain's camp, offering concessions if needed.

Churchill persuaded Prime Minister Asquith to requisition three completed battleships built for the Ottoman Turkish Empire and Chile to strengthen the Royal Navy. The ships were renamed and added to Britain's fleet, while the seizure risked driving the Ottoman Turkish Empire toward Germany.

• Churchill proposed that Britain take over three completed export battleships to quickly reinforce the Royal Navy.
• Sir Edward Grey warned that seizing ships already paid for would damage Britain's credibility and might push the Ottoman Turkish Empire toward Germany.
• Asquith approved the requisition, reasoning that the Ottoman Turkish Empire would not dare oppose Britain and promising compensation after the war.
• Churchill hurried to arrange the ships' transfer, and the Royal Navy renamed them Agincourt, Ireland, and Canada.
• The chapter described the three battleships' specifications and their emphasis on firepower and speed over defense.

Wilhelm II welcomed Admiral Reinhard Scheer, Vice Admiral Hipper, Vice Admiral Spee, and the victorious Imperial Navy after their defeat of the British fleet. In a conference afterward, Oscar and Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz discussed how the victory weakened the British blockade and whether German overseas trade should resume.

• Wilhelm II and senior officials welcomed the returning battlecruiser squadron at Wilhelmshaven Naval Base after the Imperial Navy sank seven British Battleships and three Battlecruisers.
• Admiral Reinhard Scheer reported the victory to Wilhelm II, who praised the commanders and addressed the naval officers and men.
• The Imperial Navy held a celebration while Wilhelm II, Oscar, and senior officers met to review the battle and plan future operations.
• Wilhelm II credited Oscar's warship designs for the victory, and the other senior naval officers agreed.
• Oscar said the victory could break the British blockade, while Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz advised delaying overseas trade until the Imperial Navy had thoroughly defeated Britain.