The Crisis of the Naval War

"The Crisis of the Naval War" by John Rushworth Jellicoe is a historical account published in the early 20th century that delves into naval warfare during World War I, particularly focusing on the Royal Navy's efforts to combat the German submarine campaign. The book likely addresses the strategic developments, organizational changes, and operational tactics used by the British naval forces, highlighting the critical challenges and responses during what Jellicoe considers the gravest peril faced by the nation. The opening of the book introduces Jellicoe’s intent to document the naval strategies and organizational adaptations undertaken at the Admiralty in response to the escalating submarine threat. He reflects on the gravity of the situation during the war, emphasizing the crux of British naval operations that were largely unknown to the public at the time. Jellicoe outlines the emergence of unrestricted submarine warfare by Germany, the subsequent losses in merchant shipping, and the urgent measures taken by the Admiralty to counter the crisis, including improvements in naval organization, the introduction of new operational tactics, and collaboration with the United States Navy. Overall, this beginning sets the stage for a detailed exploration of the Royal Navy's strategic evolution throughout the tumultuous events of 1917, leading to significant developments in maritime warfare. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Admiral of the Fleet John Rushworth Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe, was a Royal Navy officer. He fought in the Anglo-Egyptian War and the Boxer Rebellion and commanded the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland in May 1916 during the First World War. His handling of the fleet at that battle was controversial. Jellicoe made no serious mistakes and the German High Seas Fleet retreated to port, at a time when defeat would have been catastrophic for Britain, but the public was disappointed that the Royal Navy had not won a more dramatic victory given that they outnumbered the enemy. Jellicoe later served as First Sea Lord, overseeing the expansion of the Naval Staff at the Admiralty and the introduction of convoys, but was relieved at the end of 1917. He also served as the governor-general of New Zealand in the early 1920s.