2013 king hall day 1 session 3 - 1
DESCRIPTION
2013 King Hall Conference ProceedingsTRANSCRIPT
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The 2013 King Hall Naval History Conference 23.05.2013
Russia’s Naval Strategy & Operations inthe Baltic & Black Sea Theaters 1914–18
ST ANDREW AGAINST THE KAISER:
Dr Alexey D MuravievHead, Department of Social Sciences & International Studies
Director, Strategic Flashlight forum
School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts
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Major Considerations
Russia as the ally of the Entente
The Eastern Front as the strategic distraction
Vital assistance
Critical in 1914, 1916
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Kaiser’s Hochseeflotte (the High Seas Fleet)
The Eastern/Northern European combined strategic maritime theater
Baltic, Black Sea, Arctic MTVDs (maritime theaters of military operations)
Secondary in terms of importance compared with the North Sea and the Atlantic
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Major Considerations
Russian Black Sea Fleet pre-dreadnoughts at seas, 1913
The main calibre (305 mm) of a Gangut class dreadnaught
The Tsushima catastrophe
The Russian Navy could no longer challenge the world’s leading navies British and German
From third down to fifth in world ranking
478 units (1 July 1914)
11 pre-dreadnaughts (3 in the Baltic, 8 in the Black Sea) 10 cruisers and 126 torpedo boats
Rebuilding the navy as a national prioritySchool of Media, Culture and Creative Arts 23.05.2013
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The Baltic MTVD: Key Issues
Battle squadron of the Baltic Fleet at sea, 1914
The German battle fleet in Kiel, 1900s
Strategic maritime defence
17 June 1912 ‘Plan of the Baltic Sea Naval Forces Operations in Case of a European War’ (updated in late 1914)
Maritime defence of the Gulf of Finland/St. Petersburg (from 1914 Petrograd)
Russian Baltic Fleet is inferior to the Hochseeflott
Preventing enemy’s main strike and amphibious forces attacking the national strategic centre of gravity
School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts 23.05.2013
6th
Army
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Securing the theater
8 June 1908 Nikolai II signs a revised battle plan for the Black Sea Fleet
‘The main strategic task…remains the maximum preservation of the Black Sea control’
Strategic maritime defence
Blockade of the Bosporus
Evolving geo-strategic realities Turkey-Germany, Bulgaria (October 1915)
Aiding Romania (from 1916)
Dreadnaughts of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, 1914
Yavuz Sultan Selim (a.k.a Goeben) battle cruiser
School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts 23.05.2013
The Black Sea MTVD: Key Issues
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German cruiser Magdeburg captured by the Russians, 1914
Establishing layered defence
Mine laying operations in the southern Baltic (October 1914–February 1915)
1,458 sea mines over 107 days
Operation was 500 km in depth
Occasional engagements with German forces
Forcing the Magdeburg to beach
Anti-SLOC warfare
Blocking maritime supplies from Sweden
School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts 23.05.2013
War in the Baltic Sea 1914–15
The Memel Operation (June 1915)
Attempt to influence Germany’s public opinion
Battle near Godland Island (19 June)
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Russian torpedo boat destroyer Novik, top speed of 37.5 knots
Pre-dreadnaught Slava in action near Moonzund, 1915
Limited operations
Main battle forces largely inactive
Reliance on sea mines, destroyers, submarines, coastal artillery
By late 1917 about 35,000 sea mines were deployed; 83 coastal gun batteries (282 guns)
Supporting the army’s maritime flank
Defensive operations in the Moozund/Gulf of Riga (8–21 August 1915)
Germans withdrew from the Gulf
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War in the Baltic Sea: 1916–17
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October 1917: Operation Albion
German forces land on Moonzund, 1917
Russian 305-mm coastal gun battery, Moonzund 1917
Strategic Amphibious operation
2/3 of German naval forces (over 300 units) against 116 units of the Baltic Fleet
Occupation of the Moonzund and securing the Gulf of Riga (Phase One) prior to attacking Petrograd
School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts 23.05.2013
Dreadnaughts Cruisers Destroyers Submarines Aircraft Troops Guns
German 10 10 68 6 100 25,000 125
Russian 2 3 36 3 30 10,000 64 (54)
Tactical Advance, strategic failure
Moonzund and Gulf of Riga were secured
The Baltic Fleet was not destroyed
Petrograd remained defended
Dreadnaughts Cruisers Destroyers Gun-boats Minesweepers
German (3) - 10 (13) - 6
Russian 1 (1) 1 (3) 2 30
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War in the Black Sea 1914–15
Novorossiisk under fire from the Breslau, October 1914
Bombardment of the Bosporus fortifications,28 March 1915
School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts 23.05.2013
Confronting Turkish-German forces
Arrival of the German task force on 10 August 1914
29 October - combined attack on Russian ports and bases
18 November – engaging the ‘Turkish’ task group near the Sarych Peninsula
Blockade of the Bosporus
1,347 sea mines (1914–15)
Bombardment (28, 29 March, 10 May 1915) SMS Goeben and Breslau crossing the Straits, August 1914
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Russian submarine escorts captured Turkish merchant, 1916
Russian aircraft carrying cruiser Nikolai I
Pressuring Turkey
Mine laying and anti-SLOC operations
About 6,000 sea mines layered
Blockading Bosporus, Ulzundak and Varna
ASW operations
Deployment of 10 German submarines
Supporting the Russian Caucasian Front
Engaging Goeben and Breslau
Preparing for a strategic move on the StraitsSchool of Media, Culture and Creative Arts 23.05.2013
War in the Black Sea 1916–17
The Imperatritsa Maria [super]-dreadnaught at sea, 1915The sinking of the Maria after explosion, 20 October 1916
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In Conclusion…
The Baltic theater
Limited initiative and failure to capitalise on successes
Limited use of battleships
Predominant reliance on light manoeuvre forces
The use of maritime layered mine-artillery defence as a strategic success
Failure to maintain strategic initiative
Achieving the main strategic objective - maritime defence of Petrograd
School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts 23.05.2013
The Black Sea theater
More initiative and success but little recognition
Regular use of battleships
Dominance in the MTVD
A complete suit of operational activity
More attempts to interact with allied forces
Failure to achieve the prime strategic objective - The Bosporus
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In Conclusion…
Fighting defence war at sea
The use of maritime layered mine-artillery defence as a strategic success
Over 43,000 sea mines deployed
Bad timing for Russia
Russia entered the war in Europe unprepared
In the midst of rebuilding its navy
Pre-war plans to restore Russian global naval power by 1918–19
Lack of political courage and failure to capitalise on gained advances
Developing crisis (Revolution on the horizon…)
School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts 23.05.2013
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QUESTIONS?23.05.2013St Andrew against the Kaiser
Dr Alexey D MuravievPhone: (+61 8) 9266 2234Email: [email protected]
School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts