HISTORY
The Tirpitz Plan: Imperial Germany’s Dream of Becoming a Global Sea Power.
At the turn of the twentieth century, Imperial Germany embarked on an ambitious expansion and modernizing of its navy to establish itself as a global power.
Inspired by Captain Alfred Mahan’s sea-power theory, Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, State Secretary of the German Navy, contended that the continued economic growth of Germany can be achieved by “go[ing] out into the world [to] find either existing interests or interests that will be claimed in the future”.[1]
To increase Germany’s supremacy at sea, Tirpitz advocated building battleships that could outnumber and rival those of the premier naval power, Great Britain.
His concerted efforts helped convince the Kaiser and the military and political establishments in Germany and build public enthusiasm for his Plan.
Despite shortcomings in the Tirpitz Plan, the enthusiasm stoked by Tirpitz enabled him to get Reichstag approval for the Navy Bills that funded his battleships.
Admiral von Tirpitz was influenced by the American naval theoretician, Captain Alfred Thayar…
