Kaiserliche Marine

The Kaiserliche Marine or Imperial Navy was the German Navy created by the formation of the German Empire and existed between 1871 and 1919; it grew out of the Prussian Navy and the Norddeutsche Bundesmarine. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded the Navy, causing a naval arms race between Germany and the British Empire. The undefeated navy was largely destroyed at Scapa Flow in 1919 by its own officers after the loss of the land war on the Western Front of World War I. Capital ships of the Kaiserliche Marine were designated SMS, for Seiner Majestät Schiff (His Majesty's Ship).

Achievements

The Kaiserliche Marine achieved some important operational feats. It inflicted the first major naval defeat on the Royal Navy for over 100 years at the Battle of Coronel. It also emerged from the fleet action of the Battle of Jutland having destroyed more ships than it lost. It is a common misconception that the High Seas Fleet never again came out from port after Jutland. In fact it performed several sweeps and actions, although the Germans never planned, either before or after Jutland, on confronting the whole Grand Fleet.

Related Topics:
Royal Navy - Battle of Coronel - Battle of Jutland - High Seas Fleet

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It was the first navy to successfully operate submarines on a large scale at war, and also operated zeppelins. It was never able to match the numbers of the Royal Navy, but it did have better shells and propellant for much of WWI meaning that it never lost a ship to a catastrophic magazine explosion from above-water attack (the old Pre-dreadnought Pommern sank rapidly at Jutland after a magazine explosion caused by underwater attack).

Related Topics:
Submarine - Zeppelin - Pre-dreadnought - Jutland

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