Abstract
The launching of HMS Dreadnought in 1906 is sometimes regarded as the start of the warship building race preceding World War One and is often seen as one of the causes of that war. In fact, the European battleship building race goes back to the 1880s. Most of the countries of Europe participated in some way in this race, which involved significant transfer of technology from the more developed to the less developed countries of Europe. Spain, Italy and Russia received significant aid from armaments firms in northern and western Europe. During the period before the war, battleships dominated naval thinking and were the subject of intense popular interest. Three historical periods of battleship launchings between 1884 and 1919 show the changing relative importance of European building locations. In addition to economics, shipbuilding locations were often influenced by strategic factors and internal political considerations. British production shifted northward and the North Sea became increasingly important in German production.
Recommended Citation
Walters, Jr., William D.
(1992)
"The Geography of the European Dreadnought Race: 1884-1919,"
The Geographical Bulletin: Vol. 34:
Iss.
1, Article 5.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol34/iss1/5