World War 1: The Blokade

1. The reason for blokade is to check if there is any contraband item being ship into German.

2. The British Fleet a. covering the North Sea consisting of Sixth Cruiser Sqdn and 10th Cruiser Sqdn. b. covering the Southern entrance of Irish Sea towards English Channel consisting Talbot Class Cruiser. 3. The duty to patrol the English Channel was later given to French Navy.

4. With the potential growth of German submarines, the Admiralty saw the importance of having patrol submarine in German coast. Futhermore, when Royal Navy had warned that British oil supply might be sunk by the German submarines withoiut warning. At this time, Winston Churchill (First Lord) is ready to make ashift in building up the the navy.

5. Geographically, in the English Channel it was easy to conduct the blockade. Dover was the choke point while the mass area at the North Sea makes thing worst. Normally ship from Scandanavian country will used North sea rather than going down south to enter Dover.

6. The blockade doesn’t only happen in the British Isle and France. It goes down to Mediterranean Sea and towards the Suez Canal. Since British has control in Gibraltar, Suez Canal and with help of France patrolling from Tunis to Sicily the blockade seems working.

7. It is all about economic campaign without no great strategic objectives.

Mechanics of Implementing the Blockade

1. Main orders came from Order-in Council. (page 96 paragraph 2)

2. Following that the Contraband Committee was set up in the Foreign Office to become the executive office in conducting naval blockade.

The Impact of the Blockade on Neutrals

1. Sweden was giving difficult time to British as she is exercising neutrality in her territorial waters. German is taking advantage of this situation.

2. Netherland had a direct hit of this blockade. The Dutch get their coal form Germany and Belgium, and importing corps from all over Europe. Most of the Scandanavian country also facing the same issue.

3. A friction between British and US happen. US were not happy since they have to seek for approval from British everytime they wanted to pass through the North