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Prologue V - The First Duty
Prologue V – The First Duty
Amended Graduation Speech by A. F. von Ouster
Officers!
You have been given charge of the most vital role in the Reich, the custody of our armed forces. Today, you leave here with the knowledge and technical skills to lead and command, however the true test, of gathering experience, is still ahead.
As you have been taught, every German officer has three core duties: to the men, to the Reich, and to himself. You must keep your men fed, alive and ready for battle at all times. You must protect the Reich, His Imperial Majesty Wilhelm II, and the people of this great nation. And you must ensure your own survival, as without you, the men and the Reich are lost.
These three duties are important, vital, to the success of any career, but also to the ongoing survival and supremacy of the German people. As we once again fight for our right to exist and govern ourselves, so to have you all been called to defend your homes and families against the enemy.
It may be at times these duties seem to run counter to each other. Every good officer must in that moment decide which to prioritise above all else. Is the survival of your unit, command or army vital? Is it better for you to hold your ground no matter the consequence? Has the time come for you to fight with your men to the end, for the good of the Fatherland?
You must ask yourself these questions, and think on what you would do in such circumstances. Your own commanders shall endeavour so far as possible to keep you and your men alive and well, however this war has demonstrated the sheer brutality of mechanised conflict. Most of you are destined for the trenches. At any moment, these could come under heavy attack. Retreat will often prove impractical of impossible. Ask yourselves what you would do in these situations. Better yet, find out how others dealt with such, and lived to tell the tale.
I do not intend for the celebrations today to become grim, however I shall also not lie to you, for you are German officers and worthy of respect. This war is brutal, chaotic and so very far from our father’s and grandfather’s tales of the unification. You may meet your end having never seen the bomb that killed you, nor the man who pulled the trigger. Likewise, you may find upon the end of a day’s action that you have ordered an assault that has killed thousands of the enemy side.
Know that this war is in service of a greater cause, the cause of German survival and supremacy on the World’s stage. Know that we shall be immortalised as heroes and legends for what we are about to do. And know that if you die, your sacrifice will be remembered by the Germany we shall create together.
Turn to the right, dismissed.
…
31st March 1915
As the post-ceremony evening dinner came to a close, both commandants sighed in relief.
“Brandy, gentlemen?”
“Hans!” Ouster warmly greeted his friend.
“You thought me being posted in another country would stop me compelling you to drink at every opportunity,” Hans scoffed. “Evening, professor.”
“Jorgen, Hans. Class of 1900. Excellent rider. Terrible shot. Worse discipline,” the headmaster rolled off. “And, of course, you were the one who lived.”
“Love you too, sir.”
“My office, gentlemen? We can humour the…oberst…and speak of the war report.”
All three had been present yesterday for the Northern Front war council. As unwelcome as it was a few months ago, it now seemed the key strategic concern for all sides.
“As I reported, the British seem to have clocked our focus on preparing for a drive in the rest of the Netherlands,” Hans said, when they all sat around a table with the relevant map spread out. “They’ve been testing the Belgian lines every other day, from what I hear. There is word in the occupied zone of sabotage and coordinated groups being established, and that naval chap looked pretty worried about the sea situation.”
“As I understand it, the Dutch home fleet is pinned home in port, but if they could sally forth and meet with the British Grand Fleet, the blockade would become even tighter. Plus, they would be able to supply Holland with weapons, men, ammunition…it would be a nightmare.” Ouster lit a cigarette, winced, and continued. “The big fear for them seems to be us knocking out the Netherlands entirely from the war before they can really get onto a war footing. The big fear for us is the Dutch being reinforced by the British, and them coordinating an assault to ‘liberate’ the Low Countries.”
“Not much love for France,” the headmaster observed.
“No…funny that. The British seem to have decided to let France bleed outside Paris for as long as they can. My father says their defences are improving and tenaciously held, but they cannot hold out forever. Not with the losses they must be taking.”
“It’s only sensible. France can just about hold for now, but the Netherlands would not, certainly not if we can get past the floodwaters and first trenches. Getting them out, or even switching sides, would be a gigantic blow to the Entente.” Hans prodded the map. “Belgium will be the deciding factor on land. Shall we hold, the British will merely have wasted time and resources they could have spent on France. Shall we fail…well…it would not go so well for us.”
“We cannot forget the fleets either. The Dutch have to leave at some point, or the British have to come to them. Either move is a risk, and I suspect the latter would much prefer the former do the risking.”
“Can our fleet intervene?” the headmaster asked.
Ouster tapped the table in thought. “Against the Royal Dutch? Yes. Against the Royal Navy? …I cannot say.”
“All the more important the destroy them both separately then.”
Ouster eased back in his chair. “Quite.” Though that sounded far easier said than done. “How are things in Brussels?”
Hans grimaced. “A mixture of alright and terrible. High Command’s paranoia about espionage and secret societies has them pressuring me to usurp the delicate understanding we have with the locals. It was bad enough when we attacked Antwerp, even worse when we took it. Busting down doors is going to incite a riot. We’ve already got the troublemakers locked up. We need to be far more subtle if we want to actually find the rest, if indeed there are any.” He sighed. “How goes the training of officers 'worthy of respect'?”
Both other men huffed.
“It's absurd. Terms have been reduced to one third the length of our usual set, and quadrupled in intake size. This last batch…was alright. But that is surely not good enough. If we don’t bring back some quality control, we’re going to end up with an officer class of people who can just about march properly and little else.”
“That bad, is it?”
“Not quite,” Ouster said, shushing the headmaster. “But it could be better. Our main problem continues to be making up the numbers so that the vast army being recruited has enough leaders to manage it. Provided things stay at trench warfare for a while, it won’t be so bad, but we run the risk then of having a group of officers who will not know what to do if they do manage a breakthrough along the front.”
The headmaster hummed his agreement.
“High Command seemed impressed with your initiative though, August?”
“Oh yes,” Ouster smiled. “I was quite pleased with that. Sharpshooters, you know? Got the idea when I was causing more damage with my hunting rifle than my sidearm or sabre. They’re causing a great deal of havoc along the French lines, so the Field Marshal says. You’ll probably see some in your area before long. And, I’m sure, the British will have some too.”
“Damn fine shots they are with those rifles,” Hans said. “Or the old guard was, the ones who we fought on the coastline. Thought they had machine guns they were firing so fast. Most seem to have been dispersed now though. Really hope its just along our lines, and they’re not back in Blighty teaching everyone else how to shoot like that!”
“Honestly, I’m more impressed by the French soldier. Horrible uniform, rotten weapons, terrible commanders, and they still have us halted outside their capital. Must be giving the old timers a great sense of déjà vu.”
“Nothing new under the sun,” the headmaster mumbled. The evening was getting on, and the men were getting drowsy.
“How long do you stay in Berlin, Hans? Time for a dinner at ours?”
“A few more days, in case the Kaiser sees fit in his wisdom to give me new orders. How’s the townhouse keeping you?”
“It is nothing compared to the estate. Mind you, it is delightful compared to the front. Anna has to manage the two; ours and the Field Marshal’s, as he will take leave only when the war bloody ends. How’s the hotel life?”
“Exquisite. I’m wary about potential spies of course but having Belgian staff continue about their work alongside the HQ security seems to be keeping the peace. Honestly, I have been surprised. Half the occupied zone rather supports our presence, the other half wants back into the Netherlands.”
“Hmm…something to make note of for our diplomats?”
“Yes. Could prove interesting post-war. A good little buffer zone between us and France sounds a smashing idea right about now.”
“No doubt the French would agree. And the British, lest they have to end up fighting for the French at all.”
Laughing, the two men bid the commandant goodnight and went home.
“Nothing new under the sun,” the headmaster mumbled. The evening was getting on, and the men were getting drowsy.
“How long do you stay in Berlin, Hans? Time for a dinner at ours?”
“A few more days, in case the Kaiser sees fit in his wisdom to give me new orders. How’s the townhouse keeping you?”
“It is nothing compared to the estate. Mind you, it is delightful compared to the front. Anna has to manage the two; ours and the Field Marshal’s, as he will take leave only when the war bloody ends. How’s the hotel life?”
“Exquisite. I’m wary about potential spies of course but having Belgian staff continue about their work alongside the HQ security seems to be keeping the peace. Honestly, I have been surprised. Half the occupied zone rather supports our presence, the other half wants back into the Netherlands.”
“Hmm…something to make note of for our diplomats?”
“Yes. Could prove interesting post-war. A good little buffer zone between us and France sounds a smashing idea right about now.”
“No doubt the French would agree. And the British, lest they have to end up fighting for the French at all.”
Laughing, the two men bid the commandant goodnight and went home.
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Harsh crackdowns tend to mobilize the undecided against you... the 'shoot them all and let God sort them out' only works if you really, really mean to 'shoot them all'.
So Ouster is an innovator in a service not much given to liking innovation. It is telling that his methods are being adopted across the front, but ordering an army to change and actually getting it to do so are different animals.
So Ouster is an innovator in a service not much given to liking innovation. It is telling that his methods are being adopted across the front, but ordering an army to change and actually getting it to do so are different animals.
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I just can't see a way of Germany occupying that densely populated region with a war on two fronts, and not having it end in catastrophe. Doubly problematic because the british wouldn't mind a few horrors going on to make the germans look bad and weaken their grip, whilst the Dutch have, as it transpires, some issues in the region that the german occupation is awakening.
This will have consequences post war.
Well, he's noting what works and implementing it where he can. That is to say, at the school he runs, and on the lines his father is in charge of. Germany's still trying to smash through to Paris in the hopes of getting the 'quick win' (and the other Entente forces will just evaporate, of course) over France.
It's an adaption of what scout groups did in the colonies in various armies already (fictional example is of course Colnel Sebastian Moran, the finest shot in the British army and a big game hunter). Gives the dismounted horsemen of the Reich something to do (they all have hunting rifles and experience with sniping as befits their class) and contains the germ of an idea that gets Ouster all the fame and infamy the introduction suggests...
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Some of you may die, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.
This reminded me that they're adding divisional officers in the latest patch/DLC. Generals will no longer come from thin air.
Both a reflection of the times they are in, and how...jingoistic the military is. The current Sandhurst address is disturbingly similar to this.
In that, Germany has no issue anyway. They had a ton of officers to chose from of every rank in the game already. It was Italy that had it rough. 6 guys was the limit.
Revived Belgian independence movement? In OTL German occupation in Belgium during WW1 was worse than during WW2. The Americans had to step in and founded the Commission for Relief in Belgium to prevent a mass famine and provide some help to the Belgians in occupied parts of the country. We haven't heard much about the Americans in this timeline but I hope they have a similar effort going on in the background.
We get more hints of the alt-history of this Great War western-northern front. Can you confirm this is just your narrative creation at this stage - it’s not a description of some variant action that actually occurred in-game?
It’s also not clear (though assumed, as we had the Franz Ferdinand incident earlier) if there is an eastern front with Russia as well. We haven’t heard anything about it so far.
It’s also not clear (though assumed, as we had the Franz Ferdinand incident earlier) if there is an eastern front with Russia as well. We haven’t heard anything about it so far.
The germans are trying really hard to get one started. Certainly there will be a huge difference between that region and the rest of the Netherlands by the end of the war.
Yeah, I'm thinking things will go down quite badly in the Belgium zone. Its actively occupied but also being fought over on all sides. Might even be worse than OTL if the British and Dutch don't dislodge the Germans before rhe food situation starts getting really bad for the latter.
The Amercians are smarting from a series of embarrassments and setbacks in their plans. I learnt from my previous HOi4 game that the US can be very interesting...if they get boxed in a bit more than OTL.
Still, what with the large German settler population on the east coast, various issues out west and along the borders, and some other problems...the US can and will try to help the Netherlands out, but the federal government would rather eat an Eagle than work with the British at the moment.
Oh yes, this is based off backstory notes, OTL movement plans and potential plans, and the alt history stuff. In most of the ww1 mods I've seen, trench warfare is a bit too easily broken and if the germans got close to Paris early on, they just smash straight through and the entire war gets called off.
There is one, sort of, but its currently not the focus of any of the characters because they're all (from their perspective) doing rather well on the Western Front.
And high command, as we shall see two chapters from now, has very good reason to keep the eastern front as quiet and secret as possible.
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So saith Das Schwarze Adder. (I know, I know - it's a terrible translation. I'm one day out of the hospital, cut me some slack).
Herbert Hoover, genius engineer, gifted humanitarian, and terrible President. It must be awful, to watch yourself fall from so great a height...
Are you alright?
Also to be mixed up with the other Hoover, who was by all accounts exceedingly scary and nasty, and possibly the largest threat to American liberal democracy since the civil war.
The US has not had an easy time of it pre 1914, as the world decided to not allow this random new world state ti expand indefinitely with so much ease...however, they've had some success and some failure.
Next chapter will be our first experiment into history book, because there isn't another way to really describe the naval situation between the various combatants. Chapter after that should end the prologue and get onto the jager stuff.
Thank you for asking. I am resting sorta-comfortably at home. Diagnosis was three to five blood clots in my right lung. 'The most precious substance on Earth is breath, to he who does not have it.' Much rest, a lot of pills and an oxygen tank are prescribed - should be no long-lasting effects.
J Edgar Hoover was a useful tool, a relentless promoter and PR manager, and - to give him his due - a good administrator, though a tragically flawed law-man. The longer he lived, the more corrupt and complicit - and useful and powerful - he became. If you blame Hoover, then I think we can also spread some blame onto the Presidents, Secretaries and other people who found him... convenient.
J Edgar Hoover was a useful tool, a relentless promoter and PR manager, and - to give him his due - a good administrator, though a tragically flawed law-man. The longer he lived, the more corrupt and complicit - and useful and powerful - he became. If you blame Hoover, then I think we can also spread some blame onto the Presidents, Secretaries and other people who found him... convenient.
Oof. I've finally gotten a rather nasty removal done myself so have time to write every day. I have actually written a chapter per day but slowed down the updates so people can catch up.
Feel like the US in this timeline is going to need some convenient targets to abuse, and paranoia will be rife. To be fair, their recent history makes it somewhat sensible to suspect their are enemies all around you...but it means they're also ignoring the fact that everyone is now focusing on the great war rather than them.
There was supposed to be an update yesterday but in a bizarre twist of fate, book scans are too high quality to post on the forums or something like that.
Will try again today.
Will try again today.
Prologue VI - Radcliffe's Gambit
Prologue VI – Radcliffe’s Gambit
Extract from ‘Great British Sea Battles of the 19th and 20th centuries’, by Arthur Woodcock
Introduction
It is 1915, and though the First World War had seen mammoth advances by the German army on land and great movements of men and resources from the great empires of the Entente, the seas have so far been a quiet frontier.
The few German ships outside the North Sea had led the Entente Powers, mostly the two royal navies of the Dutch and British empires, on a brief but merry chase through the pacific. And yet in far more important theatres, the stupendously expensive and expansive navies did relatively little.
The strategy of the war at sea, for the Entente at least, has always been fairly simple to follow both at the time and thereafter. The British-led campaign would adopt a large and stringent blockade of the Central Powers, and starve the warring nations of resupply by water. Given how many ships the Royal Navy had at its disposal, this had been thought an easy enough task. However, there were a number of issues with the plan.
The first issue was that it was extremely punitive, assessing everything up to and including food produce as war contraband, and declaring the entirety of the North Sea an ‘active’ warzone that vessels entered at their own risk. This immediately cut Germany off from trade with the United States, and many other exporters, but also antagonised these nations, as well as the two Scandinavian countries who found their coastlines suddenly patrolled by British warships.
The few German ships outside the North Sea had led the Entente Powers, mostly the two royal navies of the Dutch and British empires, on a brief but merry chase through the pacific. And yet in far more important theatres, the stupendously expensive and expansive navies did relatively little.
The strategy of the war at sea, for the Entente at least, has always been fairly simple to follow both at the time and thereafter. The British-led campaign would adopt a large and stringent blockade of the Central Powers, and starve the warring nations of resupply by water. Given how many ships the Royal Navy had at its disposal, this had been thought an easy enough task. However, there were a number of issues with the plan.
The first issue was that it was extremely punitive, assessing everything up to and including food produce as war contraband, and declaring the entirety of the North Sea an ‘active’ warzone that vessels entered at their own risk. This immediately cut Germany off from trade with the United States, and many other exporters, but also antagonised these nations, as well as the two Scandinavian countries who found their coastlines suddenly patrolled by British warships.
The second issue was that this was an expensive and complicated procedure, as the Royal Navy found itself obliged to maintain a ‘distant blockade’, barring the entrance to the English Channel, the North Sea, the Adriatic Sea, and (later) the entire Mediterranean. The blockade then, especially outside the Mediterranean (where French vessels could aid the British), was a massive commitment of money, resources and ships.
The third issue was the German navy. Since the 1890s, Kaiser Wilhelm II unwisely committed to a large and furious naval arms race with the British Empire, concluding only in 1905 with the outbreak of hostilities between the Russian Empire, and Britain and Japan. This left both sides with some truly astounding feats of then top of the line warships, and otherwise a large supply of vessels and sailors to man them. The problem for the British was that, in 1915, the Royal Navy not only had to commit many of their ships to the distant blockade on the ‘wrong’ side of the British Isles, and another fleet in the Mediterranean, but also a Pacific and Atlantic Fleet as well, to ensure no outside powers took advantage of the European war. Germany had no such distractions, and their unified fleet could, in theory, contend with the best of the British in any case.
The final issue, which was becoming increasingly pressing, was the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was, at the beginning of 1915, in an extremely vulnerable position, cut off from the rest of the Entente powers by both the Germany army and navy. The British could not simply hold the blockade and wait, they needed to reinforce and resupply their smaller, vital ally on the German flank. They also needed to save the Dutch fleet trapped in port, uncomfortably and increasingly close to the front lines.
The Royal Netherlands Navy
The Dutch, despite possessing a vast overseas empire of trading and resource extracting colonies, had rather fallen behind in naval terms (and, admittedly, in every other respect) compared to other great powers. With the end of the arms race between Germany and Britain, and both nations distracted by other concerns, the naval budget was increased, with a view to take the ‘lessons learnt' from both sides and create a modest but excellent navy that would best serve the Netherlands at home and abroad. For the Dutch, they only had to worry about three theatres: the North Sea and home waters, the Congo shipping lanes, and the even larger far eastern possessions in South East Asia.
A large fleet was required to protect the latter, given how many other competing naval powers had fleets in the region. For the former two, it was decided both as a matter of practically and economics, that coastal defence squadrons would be sufficient. Any major assault or invasion for these areas would be via land rather than sea. Batavia was also greatly expanded as a gigantic fortress for both land and sea, and housed dozens of huge naval guns and vast amounts of space for ships to take refuge.
A large fleet was required to protect the latter, given how many other competing naval powers had fleets in the region. For the former two, it was decided both as a matter of practically and economics, that coastal defence squadrons would be sufficient. Any major assault or invasion for these areas would be via land rather than sea. Batavia was also greatly expanded as a gigantic fortress for both land and sea, and housed dozens of huge naval guns and vast amounts of space for ships to take refuge.
In 1914, on the outbreak of the war, the Dutch had completed the vast majority of a proper modern fleet that was posted to the Pacific, and had just completed one of two coastal squadrons. Upon the surprise invasion via the German Reich, therefore, these ships were trapped within their ports:
Within the Ports / in the Pacific Fleet
- 6 coastal battleships / 5 ‘true’ battleships
- 4 cruisers / 4 cruisers and 3 light cruisers
- 10 destroyers / 12 destroyers
- 23 torpedo boats / 20 torpedo boats
8 submarines
The Pacific Fleet also contained several gunboats which were hastily redeployed to the Congo.
These ships were not nearly enough to contend with the German fleet, however, it was thought, could be enough to tempt them out. Thus, the Entente planned a trap that would unlock the North Sea to safe transport to the Netherlands, destroy the German fleet, and perhaps even allow for naval landings to relieve the occupied zone.
The plan was for the Dutch fleet to sneak out and pass through the Broad Fourteens, and then meet with a British squadron which would escort them to safe moorings along the east coast of England. The Germans would of course give chase, and be caught out not only by the combined fleet, but the far larger British fleet resting off the coast of Scotland, which had detached from their blockade duties.
There were several issues with the plan. The larger fleet could not detach from the blockade until the operation was imminent. The Dutch ships would have to leave port under cover of darkness, and yet be ‘caught’ out on the open water in daylight. The Germans may not take the bait, or take the opportunity to commit some mischief along the Dutch coastline.
However, by late April 1915, with the Dutch army falling against a renewed offensive by the Germans, the Entente had no choice. And so, on the 2nd May 1915, at 4am sharp, the Dutch navy sneaked out of harbour and made for the sea.
The plan was for the Dutch fleet to sneak out and pass through the Broad Fourteens, and then meet with a British squadron which would escort them to safe moorings along the east coast of England. The Germans would of course give chase, and be caught out not only by the combined fleet, but the far larger British fleet resting off the coast of Scotland, which had detached from their blockade duties.
There were several issues with the plan. The larger fleet could not detach from the blockade until the operation was imminent. The Dutch ships would have to leave port under cover of darkness, and yet be ‘caught’ out on the open water in daylight. The Germans may not take the bait, or take the opportunity to commit some mischief along the Dutch coastline.
However, by late April 1915, with the Dutch army falling against a renewed offensive by the Germans, the Entente had no choice. And so, on the 2nd May 1915, at 4am sharp, the Dutch navy sneaked out of harbour and made for the sea.
Disaster at Broad Fourteens
Unbeknownst to the British or Dutch, the Germans had not been idle in occupied Belgium. Knowing that the Netherlands would soon have to sally forth or die, the Germans had inserted spotters stretching out across the coastline. When the Dutch Navy left port, they were spotted within minutes by these agents, and within 30 minutes, two ‘destroyed’ bases in the occupied zone knew as well. These berths held a dark secret: the vast majority of the German U-Boat service. Thanks to some clever misdirection by both naval officers and military governor Hans Jorgen, the Dutch resistance had no idea these locations had been refurbished and filled by these nautical terrors.
By the time the RNN Fleet had begun their manoeuvres in the Broad Fourteens, 52 submarines were just behind them. At 5.03am, the lead U-Boat opened fire, followed by the others.
The impact was, of course, catastrophic. In the opening wave, several ships, including 2 battleships, were struck by torpedoes. The second wave shortly afterwards was more accurate, hitting over half of all Dutch ships. In a panic, the fleet made orders for full speed ahead, knowing that the fastest submarine of the period could not hope to keep pace with surface vessels. This proved true, however by the time all ships had in fact picked up speed and begun to leave the U-Boat flotilla behind, the Germans had actually emptied their entire ammunition into the Dutch (whilst often touted, this is not quite so impressive as it sounds, as most U-Boats of the period would have held 5 or 6 torpedoes at maximum).
The damage committed in 15 minutes was impressive: 6 destroyers had been damaged, with two of those slowly sinking. 3 cruisers had been damaged, and one already sunk, having been hit a suggested 15 times in the span of 3 minutes. 2 battleships had taken several hits and were taking on water, though the crews were working hard on damage control. Another battleship had been hit seven times, and was struggling to keep pace with the rest of the fleet. The other three were relatively unscathed. The true losses had been amongst the outer layer of torpedo boats, which met the majority of attacks from the U-Boats. Of the 23 that had left port an hour prior, 13 were now paralysed or sinking, and another 2 heavily damaged but moving.
The operation in tatters, the Dutch desperately signalled for help, alerting both the British and the German fleets that something terrible had occurred (it is disputed a great deal by both sides and throughout the years as to how much the main German fleet knew of the events of the disaster before that point).
The commander of the British squadron, Vice-Admiral Lord Radcliffe, had a terrible decision to make. It was clear only that the RNN had been heavily damaged after an attack by U-Boats. They were still many miles from the safety of the British coast, and the main Royal Navy fleet further away still. The German fleet was no doubt on its way, as planned, and yet would catch up to the beleaguered ships well before the RN could arrive in strength to meet them.
Radcliffe made several quick assumptions:
- The German U-Boats would be now retreating back to port to restock on ammunition, and may not return at all.
- The German fleet would catch up to the Dutch well before the main fleet could arrive, but his own forces could reach them in time if they made best speed towards the Norfolk Banks.
- The Germans, upon seeing the weakened Dutch fleet and, comparatively, small British squadron, would engage in full and press their advantage.
- They could not, however, defeat them all before the main fleet arrived.
With grim determination, Radcliffe signalled to both the Dutch and British fleets his plan, and made best speed forwards.
Radcliffe’s Gambit
As the sky brightened and visibility became far easier, the Royal Naval Squadron, which had certainly never planned on fighting the entire German navy by itself, sped forth to do exactly that.
At his command, Vice-Admiral Radcliffe possessed:
- 5 pre-dreadnaught battleships, including the flagship – HMS Forthright.
- 6 armoured cruisers
- 2 light cruisers
- 15 destroyers
- 5 torpedo boats
This was against the German High Seas fleet in full, which as of 1915 comprised:
- 22 pre-dreadnaughts
- 17 dreadnaughts
- 4 battle cruisers
- 10 light cruisers
- 60 destroyers
This was, in every way, a suicide mission on behalf of the squadron, and it is doubtful there was not a man aboard who did not know it. It remains remarkable therefore that Radcliffe’s orders were followed promptly, and the men of the Royal Navy held their nerve. It is said, perhaps apocryphally, that the Dutch navy sighted the British relief force at about the time they also spotted the Germans rapidly approaching. The two allied fleets met and hurriedly formed what battle lines they could manage in the few minutes they had before the Germans began testing the range of their weapons.
It was now past 6am, and the sun was rising.
It was now past 6am, and the sun was rising.
Of the battle by the Norfolk Banks, much has been said and gone over. The German fleet’s great advantage in numbers appears to have, to some degree, hampered its approach, though this was adjusted for. It is also difficult to compare the skill of the seamen involved, given one fleet had already been battered, and was fighting with a great deal of vigour and desperation, whilst the other two were fresh, professional and experienced. Certainly, Radcliffe’s command was to be commended, as he commenced and led the British through a withering battle of slow sacrifice and concession, despite the horrific injuries of both machine and man.
The problem of what would occur when old battleship met new dreadnought was soon answered: the dreadnought would win. However, the durability of the latter ships came at a surprising cost; the megastructure would withstand far more punishment than the crews could survive. This led to a surprising parity in casualties post-battle, though this would not be discovered until after the war.
Whilst tactical skill and artful slow retreating was buying time, and earning the ire and attention in full of the High Fleet, Radcliffe had lost a third of the entire collective force within an hour. The sea was alive with burning oil and screaming men, the air thick with shells and explosions, and everywhere smoke and fumes choked and blinded. It appears this chaos actually aided the British in the end, as it was so complete the Grand Fleet could not only pinpoint exactly where the battle was, but also got within gun range before the Germans noticed their presence.
Faced with the almighty Royal Navy fully aroused and angry, the German fleet commander decided discretion was the best part of valour, and made smoke to fight another day. In the ensuing chase and confusion, various shots by the British managed to bring down several enemy combatants, including a large cruiser which unexpectedly and suddenly exploded, after falling behind her fleeing companions. This explosion marked the end of the engagement, and the two sides disengaged back to their own harbours.
Aftermath
Strictly speaking, both sides had achieved some of their objectives. The Germans had forced the Dutch out of their berths, inflicted a harsh penalty on them and the British fleet, and lived to tell the tale against a large portion of the Royal Navy (albeit somewhat briefly).
On the other hand, the British had secured the Dutch fleet, and that which was not entirely sunk could be repaired and sent out again. For their heroics, Radcliffe’s Squadron had been more than decimated, losing a third of its manpower and dozens of vessels, including most of the cruisers and all but one of the pre-dreadnaught battleships (the Forthright, by sheer ‘good’ fortune, escape by the skin of its teeth, at the expense of a great deal of its crew and one of the Vice-Admiral’s hands).
The immediate aftermath of such events was predictable. The Central Powers were ecstatic, the neutral world was astonished, the Dutch were despondent but vengeful, and the British were all things from the jingoistic fêting of Radcliffe and his men, to extremely angry with Westminster and the Admiralty, to at last comfortable in the continued demonstrated superiority and supremacy of the Royal Navy, even if it could stand to be a bit more prompt.
All of these reactions were, to various degrees, warranted. Radcliffe’s actions most certainly saved the entire Dutch navy from destruction, the Germans had demonstrated their skill and strategic flair for deception and naval warfare, the Dutch lived to fight another day…but at great cost to themselves and their ally.
It was clear to all that the North Sea was far from decided territory and, critically, that the Netherlands would not be getting a rescue anytime soon from the British, not without further risk from a suddenly wary Admiralty. It did however, make Lord Radcliffe’s name, separate to his illustrious family, which would play a not insignificant role in both the war, and what followed.
On the other hand, the British had secured the Dutch fleet, and that which was not entirely sunk could be repaired and sent out again. For their heroics, Radcliffe’s Squadron had been more than decimated, losing a third of its manpower and dozens of vessels, including most of the cruisers and all but one of the pre-dreadnaught battleships (the Forthright, by sheer ‘good’ fortune, escape by the skin of its teeth, at the expense of a great deal of its crew and one of the Vice-Admiral’s hands).
The immediate aftermath of such events was predictable. The Central Powers were ecstatic, the neutral world was astonished, the Dutch were despondent but vengeful, and the British were all things from the jingoistic fêting of Radcliffe and his men, to extremely angry with Westminster and the Admiralty, to at last comfortable in the continued demonstrated superiority and supremacy of the Royal Navy, even if it could stand to be a bit more prompt.
All of these reactions were, to various degrees, warranted. Radcliffe’s actions most certainly saved the entire Dutch navy from destruction, the Germans had demonstrated their skill and strategic flair for deception and naval warfare, the Dutch lived to fight another day…but at great cost to themselves and their ally.
It was clear to all that the North Sea was far from decided territory and, critically, that the Netherlands would not be getting a rescue anytime soon from the British, not without further risk from a suddenly wary Admiralty. It did however, make Lord Radcliffe’s name, separate to his illustrious family, which would play a not insignificant role in both the war, and what followed.
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So the Dutch mainland is now isolated from the combined British/Dutch fleet for the moment. This gives Germany the opportunity to perhaps finish their occupation of the Benelux, but this brutal occupation might draw the ire of the rest of the world (like Belgium OTL).
Also, are the Ottomans, Bulgarians, Romanians, Italians, etc. all going to join the war similarly to what they did historically? Or will something else happen with those fronts?
Also, are the Ottomans, Bulgarians, Romanians, Italians, etc. all going to join the war similarly to what they did historically? Or will something else happen with those fronts?
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Yes.
Potentially.
Indeed.
The ottomans probably won't be joining in the exact same way they did OTL (because that was some crazy ass stuff) but will obviously be a pretty major target for both sides. The balkans are less clear, and really it depends on how well/poorly Austria does.
The Italians meanwhile in OTL had a semi understanding with both sides, and decided for the Entente because Austria held most of their desired targets, including actual Italian cores (in game terms).
It's early days yet though. 1915 is only just starting, germany is looking pretty strong, and the Entente have not yet really won any victories (although they still have huge advantages long term already).
The Entente powers are quite right to be leery of provoking an American reaction; Wilson spent much of the war more angry at the Entente than the Central Powers. Indeed, some of his ramblings on what Britain and France might do to the US cross paranoia, curtsy to dementia and vanish into incomprehensibility.
The great advantage of British seapower was that it let Britain and her allies use the 'broad common' for commerce while denying it to all others. Think of a war where only one side can use railways...
The German fleet commander was no doubt hampered by the Kaiser's desire to not lose any of his precious, expensive ships. The British commander, on the other hand, will be supported by King and public opinion so long as he fights. Other naval doctrines may put combat in second place behind 'accomplishing the mission' but the Roayl Navy assumes that if they sink you, they can do what they like afterward and forever more.
I enjoyed that update.
The great advantage of British seapower was that it let Britain and her allies use the 'broad common' for commerce while denying it to all others. Think of a war where only one side can use railways...
The German fleet commander was no doubt hampered by the Kaiser's desire to not lose any of his precious, expensive ships. The British commander, on the other hand, will be supported by King and public opinion so long as he fights. Other naval doctrines may put combat in second place behind 'accomplishing the mission' but the Roayl Navy assumes that if they sink you, they can do what they like afterward and forever more.
I enjoyed that update.
The British at least know, or believe, they can handle the Americans. However, that was before entering this massive war with Germany and Austria-Hungary. At this point, knowing how delicate relations were before the war began, they're all probably quite leery of doing anything bad enough to provoke some kind of American response.
This will get more complicated later when they start working on convincing others to join their struggle...only for it to lead to an unexpected though deliciously ironic twist of fate.
Yeah, the affect the blockade had on Germany seems to have been intense, and certainly did starve the population considerably. Not helping matters was the apathy Germany had towards any sort of rationing until it was rather too late (Ouster is going to try and fix that at some point), but it certainly seems it did hurt Germany quite a bit. Whether it shortened the war is a bit more contentious (aka did it impact the war economy, production etc), though I can only assume it did, though given there is debate over it, perhaps enough to be measurable but less than critical?
Certainly not having already fought a 'battle' already, or rather, shot a lot of ammunition at a smaller force and blown some stuff up. They'll be back no doubt, but it'll be at a time and place more favourable to them, or at least under orders to actually engage.
My thinking was this, for the most part. The Royal Navy probably wouldn't hang him for going in guns blazing but very well might have shot him for being cautious (perhaps sensible) enough to stay put. As it is, whilst the risk and loss was great, and the admiralty is not entirely pleased at the damage, they also recognise they need a public hero and one has landed in their lap. He will be back, and continue to harass various aspects of the German Military.
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The example people often quote is that of Admiral Byng, but I think more appropriate in this context would be the fates of Admirals Craddock, Sturdee and Berkeley Milne. The former obeyed orders, offered battle and lost his whole command. The second, having mismanaged reinforcements to Craddock, was given the battlecruisers who beat Von Spee as a sort of 'your mess go clean it'. The last obeyed his orders to decline combat with a superior force (SMS Goeben), was acquitted in court-martial but had his reputation destroyed and lived on in disgrace.
Given the insanity of the American press, and the poor awareness of foreign relations of every president up to perhaps Theodore Roosevelt, all I can say is 'I hope so'. The lesson of 1812 is that the US can not project force well but can be an enormous pain in the fundament.
As far as the blockade... I haven't read an in-depth history of it. I do know that the German government had concerns as early as 1915, and that they risked the High Seas Fleet in 1916 and then went to unrestricted submarine warfare - actions you do not take if the pain is bearable or matters are well in hand.
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