War at Sea

• Blockade

  • Britain aim of stopping essential supplies reaching Germany
  • highly effective by sparking a mutiny in German navy and contributing factor for German surrender
• U-Boat Campaign

  • naval blockade led to Germany launching u-boat campaign, targeting allied merchant ships
  • aim to starve Britain into submission by cutting off imports
• 1915 Lusitania

  • British liner sunk after being hit, killing 1200 passengers including 128 Americans
  • showed how modern warfare blurred lines of military and civilian targets
  • nearly worked as Britain only had 6 weeks of supplies left, but led to USA joining war
• Convoys

  • Britain set up convoy system to protect merchant ships from attacks
  • slow merchant ships travelled in groups protected by fast warships
  • reduced losses and helped maintain supply lines