Germany's high sea fleet in the World War

[Nerthus]

GERMANY'S HIGH SEA FLEET IN THE WORLD WAR

BY ADMIRAL REINHARD SCHEER

http://richthofen.com/scheer/

This on-line edition of Admiral Reinhard Scheer's World War One memoirs is based directly on the original, published in 1920. Admiral Scheer, who assumed command of the entire German High Seas Fleet in 1916, was in favor of both an aggressive surface fleet policy and unrestricted submarine warfare. On May 31, 1916, he led the German fleet into the battle of Jutland, one of the great naval battles of this century. In the battle, the German fleet performed admirably against the Royal Navy, but it was unable to change the strategic realities of the naval blockade which continued to strangle Germany. The Germans referred to Jutland as The Battle of the Skagerrak.

Preface and Introduction



I - The First Two Years of the War to the Battle of the Skagerrak

The Outbreak of the War
Chapter 1 Relative Strengths and the Strategic Situation
Chapter 2

Awaiting the Enemy's Offensive
Chapter 3a · Chapter 3b

The English Break into the Heligoland Bight
Chapter 4

The Autumn and Winter Months of 1914
Chapter 5

Bombardment of Scarborough and Hartlepool,
and the Battle of the Dogger Bank
Chapter 6a · Chapter 6b

The Year of the War 1915
Chapter 7

Preparations for Increased Fleet Activity
Chapter 8a · Chapter 8b

Enterprises in the Hoofden, and Bombardment of Yarmouth and Lowestoft
Chapter 9a · Chapter 9b



II - From the Battle of the Skagerrak to the Unrestricted U-boat Warfare

The Battle of the Skagerrak (Jutland)
Chapter 10a · Chapter 10b · Chapter 10c · Chapter 10d After the Battle
Chapter 11a · Chapter 11b · Chapter 11c · Chapter 11d

Airship Attacks
Chapter 12



III - The U-boat Campaign

The Military and Political Significance of the U-boat Campaign
Chapter 13a · Chapter 13b · Chapter 13c · Chapter 13d Our U-boats and their Method of Warfare
Chapter 14a · Chapter 14b

Activity of the Fleet during the U-boat Campaign
Chapter 15

The Conquest of the Baltic Islands and the Capture of Helsingfors
Chapter 16

Our Light Craft in Action, and Advance of our Fleet to the Norwegian Coast
Chapter 17a · Chapter 17b

The Navy Command
Chapter 18a · Chapter 18b · Chapter 18c




Conclusion