Page 79 - NS-2 Textbook

72 MARITIME HISTORY

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FRANCE

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MOROCCO ALGERIA
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The European theater of operations, World War I.

get into the Atlantic, and this would be difficult in the fleets with far-ranging cruisers and raiders and to whit-
face of the British fleet at Scapa Flow. tle down the strength of the home fleets in small actions.
Britain, on the other hand, was absolutely dependent ill Britain there were two conflicting ideas on how to
on nnported foodstuffs for survival. She CQuld, howevel~ fight the war. One group wanted a peripheral strategy,
call on nearly half the world's merchant shipping and dependillg mainly on the navy to blockade Germany and
economic resources in every corner of the globe-as long gradually weaken the German ability to fight by a series
as she controlled the oceans. At the outbreak of war the of amphibious operations. TI,e continental Allied powers
Germans intended to quickly defeat France on land, hold would carry the war to Germany on land. The other
Russia at bay, and keep their High Seas Fleet intact as a group wanted to place the main British army on the con-
bargaining chip at a peace conference. III the meantime, tinent to assist France and drive toward the heart of Ger-
they also planned to hurt the British merchant and naval many. The latter group won out. During the first months