Jutland: Worst Case Scenario for the British

If the High Seas Fleet inflicted greater loses on the British Home Fleet and suffered less loses itself then it would be a victory. It needs to be brought to everyone's attention that there would be a political effect to the German's destruction of so many capital ships. It might have caused the people to question the war and possibly have brought down the government of the United Kingdom.
Remember war is not only a military but a political struggle.
 
If the High Seas Fleet inflicted greater loses on the British Home Fleet and suffered less loses itself then it would be a victory. It needs to be brought to everyone's attention that there would be a political effect to the German's destruction of so many capital ships. It might have caused the people to question the war and possibly have brought down the government of the United Kingdom.
Remember war is not only a military but a political struggle.

True, but it is necessary to remember that in OTL, Germany considered Jutland a victory, and Britain's initial perception that they lost. Unless the HSF managed the near destruction of the Grand Fleet - enough that the balance of seapower was clearly and almost permanently reversed - I don't see the political fallout as sufficient to lead toward Britain leaving the war. Britain's industrial capacity was such that it could have eventually replaced Jutland losses with new construction, while Germany was unable to complete virually all of the ships begun before Aug 1914, and brought no new designs to completion. To have a major effect, Germany would have had to follow it us with further major sorties into the Channel or Atlantic Approachesd to demonstrate to the British public the total defeat of their navy.
 
A major naval defeat could have interesting effects upon Britain's warmaking policies, as it would likely result in resources being shifted away from the army to replace lost ships and upgrade existing ones. A weaker BEF could have all kinds of interesting effects upon the Western Front.
 
The worst case would have been for the battle cruisers not to have blown up then the German fleet escaping with the "battle turn". The belief in the battle cruiser design would have led to the continuation of dubious designs and practices.
 
HMS Marlborough lost to progressive flooding day after the battle from a Torpedo Hit
HMS Warspite sunk by HSF gun fire when her helm jammed during the Battle
HMS Lion sunk when at 16:00 a 12” hit causes munitions fire in Q turret; the following explosion sinks Beatty’s Flagship and kills him along with most of her crew. Of course this can only improve the BC Force with Beatty removed in the mean time their will be some chaos before Rear Admiral O.de Brock on Princes Royal can assert control. In the mean time HMS Indefatigable is sunk at 16:02 as historic. My gut instinct is that Admiral de Brock may give serious thought to breaking off the action at this point with two KIA’s in such short order. Since everything is to go wrong for the British the BC Force continues the Run to the South.

The Run to the North is the best chance for a true disaster to strike. Beatty’s failure to keep Jellicoe informed and to integrate Evan-Thomas’ 5th Battle Squadron into his command caused all sorts of problems. So have the end of the Run to the South and the Start of the Run to the North go worse for the RN. Any ship that is lamed here is going to face the wrath of the entire HSF. Of course for this to happen you can’t kill Lion.

Beyond the above having the HSF stumble into the GF during the evening is a possibility. Night fighting is something the HSF was far better trained and equipped for. It would be a chaotic brawl but that offers the best chance for a crushing result but the Germans would also be damaged too.

Adding Warspite and Lion to the KIA total that the Germans know about and Marlborough which only British know about would have effects. I doubt Scheer joins the USW faction and as a result USoA entry is pushed off for some time. In the mean time there would chaos in the UK with the damage.

No matter what the distant blockade remains in force as geography mattered as much if not more for that. Especially with the HSF / 1st Scouting Group in the repair shop for so long afterwards.

Michael
 
I was under the impression that the consensus was that Jutland was a strategic victory for the British even though it was tactically a draw or even a minor defeat.

Of course. The German navy was basically neutralized after that battle; to call it a defeat is ludicrous. Its not the battle that determines whether it was a victory or a defeat; its the effect the battle has. War ain't a violent athletic contest; its a political struggle. British control of the seas was greatly advanced by the Battle of Jutland, irrespective of whether the Germans were said to have technically "won" it in a narrow, tactical sense.
 
Of course. The German navy was basically neutralized after that battle; to call it a defeat is ludicrous. Its not the battle that determines whether it was a victory or a defeat; its the effect the battle has. War ain't a violent athletic contest; its a political struggle. British control of the seas was greatly advanced by the Battle of Jutland, irrespective of whether the Germans were said to have technically "won" it in a narrow, tactical sense.

Saying that the German fleet was "neutralized" is a gross mistatement; the High Seas Fleet was still every bit as dangerous as it had been before Jutland. Claiming that the British won the battle because after Jutland the Germans never had their very expensive navy engage in a suicidal offensive against the much larger British navy strikes me as rather odd reasoning.
 
No but if the 6th topedo had hit, it could have damaged Adrimal Jelicoe's ship and destroyed CnC temporaliy in the battle. Small thungs can change the course of battles.
 
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