Dr. Ronald Blum
Abstract: This article discusses the competition between Great Britain and Germany to increase naval influence in order to draw a parallel between the Great Boat Race and the nuclear arms race between the US and the Soviet Union after World War II. Tensions began to rise between the two countries with the Kruger Telegram and German impotence following the South Africa crisis of 1896. These tensions led to German belief that their country needed a strong navy to challenge British control of the seas. This belief, coupled with the promotion of Admiral von Tirpitz to State Secretary of the Imperial Naval Office, led to the development of the German Naval League and a buildup of naval battleships specifically targeting Great Britain. Similar to the alliances seen in World War II, Great Britain responded to knowledge of the German battleships by building naval alliances such as the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902. Continued escalation between the two powers led to strain on the economies of both countries. The Great Boat War ended in a thorough defeat of the Germans. Despite the German loss, both sides had been propelled into the war almost against their will by weaker allies and their fears.
Keywords: Navy, Great Britain, Germany, Alliances, Strategy, Boat Race, United States
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