First Battle of the Atlantic

Battle of the Atlantic
Part of World War I
Date July 28, 1914 – November 11, 1918 Location Atlantic Ocean, North Sea Result Decisive Allied Victory
Belligerents
British Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, United States Navy Navy of France	Navy of the German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Sir John Jellicoe	Reinhard Scheer

The First Battle of the Atlantic (1914–1918) was a naval campaign of World War I, largely fought in the seas around the British Isles and in the Atlantic Ocean. Both the German Empire and United Kingdom relied heavily on imports to feed their population and supply their war industry; thus both aimed to blockade each other. The British had the Royal Navy which was superior in numbers and could operate within the British Empire. The German Navy could not destroy the British Navy, as seen at the Battle of Jutland.

The German fleet mainly used unrestricted submarine warfare. Neutral countries disliked the blockades and the sinking of RMS Lusitania especially angered the United States. The successful blockade of Germany contributed to its military defeat in 1918, and still in effect, enforced also the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in mid-1919.