Anglo-German naval arms race

The Anglo-German naval arms race was the pre–First World War competition between Britain and Germany to build modern warships, especially battleships.

Dreadnought: The British battleship launched in 1906 that introduced an all-big-gun design and made earlier battleships obsolete. Its launch reset the competition by making both countries’ existing battleship fleets appear outdated.
Alfred von Tirpitz: A German admiral who directed naval expansion as secretary of state of the Imperial Naval Office from 1897 to 1916. He designed and promoted the policies that drove Germany’s battleship buildup.
Anglo-Japanese Alliance: A series of agreements between Britain and Japan, first signed in 1902, that coordinated their interests in East Asia. The alliance reduced Britain’s need to concentrate as much naval power in the Pacific.
Submarine warfare: The use of submarines to attack enemy naval forces, merchant shipping, or coastal targets. Germany later used submarines to threaten British sea access without matching the Royal Navy ship for ship.
German Naval Laws: A series of German statutes beginning in 1898 that authorized fleet construction and set its scale and pace. They converted German naval ambitions into a sustained, state-funded building program.
Wilhelm II: German emperor and king of Prussia from 1888 until the end of the German monarchy in 1918. His ambition for Germany to become a world power gave naval expansion political prominence.
Anglo-Russian Convention: The 1907 agreement that settled disputes between Britain and Russia in Persia, Afghanistan, and Tibet. Improved relations with Russia helped Britain focus more attention on the European naval rivalry.
Unrestricted submarine warfare: A policy of attacking ships in designated waters without warning, including neutral vessels. It became a more consequential German naval strategy than direct battleship competition during the war.
Royal Navy: The United Kingdom’s naval service, historically responsible for defending its maritime routes and interests. Britain’s response was shaped by the need to preserve naval superiority and protect imperial sea lanes.
German Empire: The German nation-state established in 1871 and ruled by emperors until 1918. Its new status as a major continental power framed the naval program’s political ambitions.

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