Royal Navy

« Correction de l’exercice introductif The rise of the Royal Navy From the mid 18th century, it was the world's most powerful navy until the Second World War. The Royal Navy has at that time a quantitative superiority over the others.

The end of the 1880’s questions this superiority with by the rise of the French, Russian, German and US navies. That’s is why GB claims its naval strategy assuming the Two Powers Standards : the British Navy must be at least as powerful as its two main rivals altogether.

Then there are many investments and innovations in the Navy.

In 1906 the battleship Dreadnought (a steamer) appears, rapidly replicated by competitors.

Dreadnought ' s entry into service in 1906 represented such an advance in naval technology (fastest ship in the world thanks to steam turbines, powerful batteries), that her name came to be associated with an entire generation of battleships, the "dreadnoughts". The Royal Navy played a key part in establishing the British Empire since i n the 19 th century the expansion of the British Empire is directly connected to the British capacity to control maritime routes. On this postcard there are two allegories of GB: Britannia and her Union Jack shield and the Lion (for bravery and for Richard Lionheart).

Oh the background there is a boat (see its masts or poles) with Royal Navy flags. Due to this historical prominence, the Navy became part of the British identity , think about the cult to Admiral Horacio Nelson (Trafalgar Victory, naval battle, against Napoleon in 1805), to whom many monuments pay tribute to in the Empire.

Actually, a large group of people could identify with the Royal Navy, since it appealed (seduced) to a large audience.

The Royal Navy was important for the concept of ‘ Britishness ’ and therefore also the forging of a British identity. ‘Britishness’ is defined as “the quality of being British or of having characteristics regarded as typically British”, here it is opposed to identities such as ‘Englishness’ and ‘Scottishness’, etc. Great Britain required a rallying point, which the different British identities (from UK, dominions, colonies…) could gather around.

The Royal Navy was arguably the British institution that united the different groups.

Historians argued that the Royal Navy had been influential in nation building.

The Royal Navy focused on and utilized their ‘British’ characteristics and used propaganda to spread a feeling of unity between the different identities in the British Isles .

The Royal Navy, along with monarchy and Empire, were used to create a British identity.

The Royal Navy was emblematic in the rise of British power because it enabled the country to conquer the largest colonial empire in the world.

Until WW1, GB was the world superpower. Thus, the Royal Navy was part of British pride and identity since it gathered all the Brits (UK, Empire…).

The UK used to be at that time the 1 st maritime power.

What is the situation today? Issue: Is the UK a world maritime power in the 21st century? I.

Geopolitical aspects of UK maritime power 1) UK presence in world seas. »