The British Blockade 2 books.

[yperman]

 I have just read and would like to highly recommend two books on the British Blockade. The first, Dunn's 'Blockade' looks at the enforcement of the northern blockade by the 10th Cruiser squadron and the various problems it had to overcome, such as how do you board a merchant an in rough seas in winter off Northern Scotland? The book also asks the question 'why did so many arrested suspected contraband runners  subsequently get released by the British authorities?"

 

'Planning Armageddon' gives an answer. This highly detailed book suggests by 1908 the RN had formed a plan to use economic warfare. Not a blockade, but to use UKs total dominance over the world economy, trade and communications to destroy the German economy  in the opening months of the war. This was implemented and gravely threatened the world's economy so that huge economic and political  pressure was brought to bear on the  UK government  to desist -UK then switching to the Northern blockade and the BEF 's deployment.. The blockade created - as discussed in great detail - intense diplomatic, legal, economic and  political pressures together with administrative problems which the UK government was wholly unable to solve. This was coupled with  UK's fear of alienating the USA who fiercely defended its right to freely trade with neutral countries.  As a result the blockade for  the first two years of the war was largely ineffective as the UK and US merchants simply traded with neutral countries who then sold the goods on to neighbouring Germany.

 

A brief post cannot do this book justice. It opened up a fascinating new view for me of the blockade, the UK government, the systemic failures,  inter department conflicts, deceptions and half truths and the US's ruthless pursuit (understandably) of its own interests. As Keith Roberts has posted it even explains the strong economic case for the Gallipoli campaign.

[David Filsell]

It could be argued that the  US persuit of its own interests is, like that of many nations including the U.K. frequently not understandable. That said thanks for the recommendation.

[Guest]

   Blockade was a war winner in the Napoleonic Wars,with the RN response to the Continental System.It caused a deal of controversy at the time as most of it was enforced by Orders in Council. Thus, during the Great War much os the paperwork was kept away from scrutiny by being run through DORA. But the war was a headache for diplomats- particularly those based in countries where there was a strong trade with both Britain and Germany- Holland, Denmark, Sweden,etc. The position of the US was in it's own national interest (why not?), though the old grumbles about Free Trade -that it's keenest exponents are-coincidentally-those who gain the most-also apply to the principle of whether blockades are legal in international law.

    What I think is neglected is the role of the Board of Trade in keeping British ships and owners in line by pressure through the various registries it ran-  Flying the red duster meant BOT control anywhere over British bottoms.

[keithmroberts]

To supplement the volume  "Planning for Armageddon" I would suggest a reading of the first volume of the Naval official history, which details the way in which the Admiralty set out in 1914 to clear the seas of all German shipping.

 

Keith