Main content

2. New Technology

Admiral Lord West’s history of the Royal Navy in the 20th century: naval technology transforms ideas of warfare. From 2014.

Lord West looks at how a revolution in naval technology transformed ideas of warfare, contributed to the arms race and laid the foundations for victory in the First World War.

During the early years of the 20th century, one man dominated the Royal Navy. Admiral Sir 'Jacky' Fisher revitalised the Mediterranean fleet, pressed for social reform and promoted the introduction of torpedoes and submarines.

And in 1904 Fisher finally achieved a lifelong ambition, becoming First Sea Lord and professional head of the Royal Navy. Now he was able to develop new technology even faster. His crowning achievement was HMS Dreadnought, a battleship so powerful that it effectively made every other warship in every other navy redundant.

With Britain's navy pre-eminent, to level the playing field like this was dangerous. And it was to play a part in the pre-war arms race, but Britain's victory in that arms race would also make possible victory in the war which followed.

Lord West discusses Fisher's contributions, not least to the history of world oil. For it was he who persuaded a young Winston Churchill to convert the Royal Navy to oil power - altering the arc of history in South Wales, whose coal industry went into decline; in the Middle East; and around the world.

Producer: Giles Edwards

First broadcast on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 in June 2014.

Available now

15 minutes

Last on

Tue 30 Apr 2024 09:30

Selected Reading

Books which have been helpful in making this programme are:

Μύ

On Dreadnought and battleships, "Dreadnought" by Robert K. Massie is a brilliant, and extremely readable, work. Paul Kennedy's book "The Rise of the Anglo-German Antagonism 1860-1914" covers the naval arms race.

Μύ

Daniel Yergin's magisterial history of oil, "The Prize" is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the impact of Churchill's decision to convert the Royal Navy to oil power.

Μύ

Barry Scott has been absolutely invaluable in helping me find songs sung in the Royal Navy. They are a valuable part of the Navy's social history in themselves. Barry is working on his own book, but in the meantime the best place to look is "Grey Funnel Lines: traditional song & verse of the Royal Navy 1900-1970", which is remarkably difficult to get hold of.

Broadcasts

  • Tue 3 Jun 2014 13:45
  • Tue 30 Apr 2024 09:30

Podcast