First World War
1914–1918
The war at sea between the Allies and the Central Powers, fought in every ocean. Battlefleets met only once in full, at Jutland, but cruisers hunted raiders across the globe, mines and submarines sank battleships from the Dardanelles to the North Sea, and small torpedo craft proved they could sink dreadnoughts. It also saw the first naval codebreaking to decide battles and the first air raids launched from a ship.
How the fleets moved
Click a route to see which ships made it, or a battle for its summary. Routes are approximate.
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British movement
German movement
Russian movement
Austro-Hungarian movement
Ottoman movement
Australian movement
Battle (size: ships engaged)
Routes are approximate.
Major battles
The 4 biggest of the 29 battles covered here, by ships engaged.
31 May – 1 June 1916
Battle of JutlandNorth Sea, off the coast of Jutland
Disputed: German tactical success, British strategic victory
151 (14 lost)
vs
99 (11 lost)
15 May 1917
Battle of the Strait of OtrantoStrait of Otranto, Adriatic
Austro-Hungarian tactical victory
53 (16 lost)
vs
5
16 October – 3 November 1917
Battle of Moon SoundMoon Sound and the Gulf of Riga
German victory
28 (2 lost)
vs
20 (8 lost)
Fleets
Each navy's ships in the war, from its biggest down.
Royal Navy
132 ships
7 battleships · 22 dreadnought battleships · 10 pre-dreadnought battleships · 12 battlecruisers · 81 other
Imperial German Navy
70 ships
17 dreadnought battleships · 6 pre-dreadnought battleships · 6 battlecruisers · 6 armoured cruisers · 35 other
French Navy
35 ships
5 battleships · 2 dreadnought battleships · 15 pre-dreadnought battleships · 7 armoured cruisers · 6 other
Imperial Russian Navy
18 ships
7 pre-dreadnought battleships · 3 armoured cruisers · 3 protected cruisers · 2 destroyers · 3 other
United States Navy
17 ships
7 battleships · 7 dreadnought battleships · 1 armoured cruiser · 1 destroyer · 1 other
Ottoman Navy
8 ships
1 pre-dreadnought battleship · 1 battlecruiser · 1 ironclad · 1 light cruiser · 4 other
Austro-Hungarian Navy
8 ships
2 dreadnought battleships · 3 light cruisers · 1 protected cruiser · 2 destroyers
Imperial Japanese Navy
6 ships
1 dreadnought battleship · 1 pre-dreadnought battleship · 1 battlecruiser · 1 protected cruiser · 2 other
Regia Marina (Italy)
5 ships
3 destroyers · 2 torpedo boats