Tirpitz Plan
Encyclopedia
The Tirpitz Plan, formulated by Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz
, was Germany
's pre-World War I strategic aim to build the second largest navy
in the world after the United Kingdom
, thereby advancing itself as a world power. The British saw it not only as a challenge to its naval supremacy, but as a threat to its national survival (since the island of Britain was far from self-sufficient in food, and dependent on colonial
resources); they responded in kind, sparking off an arms race
. Germany responded to the plan with the Fleet Acts
, which led to greater naval development.
Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz was a German Admiral, Secretary of State of the German Imperial Naval Office, the powerful administrative branch of the German Imperial Navy from 1897 until 1916. Prussia never had a major navy, nor did the other German states before the German Empire was formed in 1871...
, was Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's pre-World War I strategic aim to build the second largest navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
in the world after the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, thereby advancing itself as a world power. The British saw it not only as a challenge to its naval supremacy, but as a threat to its national survival (since the island of Britain was far from self-sufficient in food, and dependent on colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
resources); they responded in kind, sparking off an arms race
Arms race
The term arms race, in its original usage, describes a competition between two or more parties for the best armed forces. Each party competes to produce larger numbers of weapons, greater armies, or superior military technology in a technological escalation...
. Germany responded to the plan with the Fleet Acts
Fleet Acts
The Naval Laws were five separate laws passed by the German Empire, in 1898, 1900, 1906, 1908, and 1912. These acts, championed by Kaiser Wilhelm II and his Secretary of State for the Navy, Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, committed Germany to building up a navy capable of competing with the Royal...
, which led to greater naval development.