Who actually won The Battle of Jutland?

The most important naval action seen during the First World War was, of course, the Battle of Jutland.

The date was the 31st May 1916. A trap had been set by the Germans.

Just off the coast of Jutland in Denmark, the largest nautical battle of the First World War was about to take place. The battle, involving 100,000 men and 250 ships, would last close to 2 days.

But who threw the first punch? And did Britain actually win the fight?

Find out more:

Follow IWM on social media: Twitter: / i_w_m
Instagram: / imperialwarmuseums

[billyosullivan]

"The German Fleet has assaulted its jailer, but it is still in jail."

[billyosullivan]

If there is one thing Germany in both world wars can teach it's that tactical victories don't win wars

[Masada]

Very hard to judge. But in my opinion the Germans needed to upset the status quo and they didn’t do that. So I have to say the British came out ahead.

[grena]

The Royal navy lost more ships and sailors but the German fleet never left its home waters again in an effective way to confront the Royal Navy until they surrendered. Therefore it was a win for the Royal Navy

[diannegooding]

Jellicoe kept the RN Fleet in being and continued to blockade the High Seas Fleet for the rest of the war. German sailors mutinied rather than sail out again in strength to try to break the blockade!
Germany needed to win massively at Jutland, Jellicoe only needed not to lose the fleet!

[callumgordon]

My son won a competition to name a street in a new development in Rosyth sometime before 2009. We did a wee bit looking online and found there were streets named after Jellicoe and Beatty, but not for the battle of Jutland. So we still have a Jutland Street sign in the loft after my son, not so forward unusually asked if he could have the mockup they’d done for publicity.

The year’s significant as I told the photographer there was still a living witness to the battle. He looked at me as if I was mad, but Henry Allingham was still alive then.

I thought the analysis in your video was spot on. The Royal Navy lost more ships and men, but their tactics were sound and the Germans failed in their strategic objectives: destruction of the cruisers and breakout, whereas the British achieved theirs. Retained dominance and blockade and the Germans never came out again. In fact they mutinied in 1918 when their commanders wanted them to embark on a death ride into the North Sea.

The battle indirectly leading to the US entering the war is an interesting point.

[alanb]

You should never measure victory by loss of men and equipment. It’s whether or not you met your strategic objectives. The USSR lost nearly 3x as many men and tanks as Germany in WW2 but no one is arguing Germany won the war. This is the mistake the US made in Vietnam, it doesn’t matter if you’re destroying their troops and equipment if theyre willing of taking the loss and capable of finding replacements.

[alanclague]

Drachinifel has done a good series of videos on the Battle of Jutland. The first video was the set up to hhe battle and the run to the south. The second covers the run to the north to the night actions. The final video discussed the outcome and consequences.

[Geoff]

Notice you make no mention no of beatty’s abysmal signals and communication. Also he is the one that pushed for rate of fire on his ships resulting is chronic errors like removing flash doors so they can load the guns faster

[JH-oxhn]

Very good documentary. Thanks a lot. I enjoyed Mr. Dickens' presentation and would like to see more of him.

[copferthat]

If a winning boxer quits on his stool, he's lost

[cra]

The Germans won tactically by sinking more tonnage and causing more casualties, but the British won strategically because the German fleet went back to port and stayed there for the remainder of the war.

[melvinjohnson]

Despite the David Beatty's incompetence the battle went to the Grand Fleet.

[landsea]

To add, the guns on Beatty's battle cruisers had a longer range than the guns on Hipper's ships .
So during the first stage of the battle, while moving parallel, Beatty's battle cruisers could have been shooting at Hipper's ships, without putting his own ships in harms way . But instead, Betty put his own battle cruiser's within range .
So totally incompetent David Beatty gets promoted, and the very skillful John Jellico gets pushed out .
.

[pomicultorul]

great channel, thank you or your efforts!

[Floods-uytl]

Great video with a respectful and evenhanded conclusion.. thanks mate

[marcdavis]

It’s how it was described as the prisoner has assaulted their jailer but is still in jail. Tactical victory for the High Sea Fleet but strategically nothing really changed.

[dominiccassidy]

Neither side achieved the objectives that they had planned but that was a strategic win for the British. The German fleet had to break out of the North Sea and they failed.

[seanmoran]

Beatty should have been sacked for allowing the German Battle Cruisers to open fire first when he had them in range

[occamraiser]

it's one of those 'tactical' Vs 'strategic' questions.
Undoubtedly the Germans won the engagement - in a tactical they sank more ships
Undoubtedly the British won the engagement - in a strategic sense.... they forced the German navy back into port - permanently.