At the outbreak of World War I, the British Royal Navy was the strongest naval power in the world, and had established a naval blockade of Germany to prevent the importation of goods and supplies. This blockade had a significant impact on the German economy and military, as they were heavily reliant on imports for raw materials and resources.
Germany's new weapon, the U-boat (or submarine), was expected to be more successful in combating the British blockade for several reasons:
1.U-boats were capable of operating underwater, which made them difficult to detect and track. This gave them a significant advantage over surface ships, which were vulnerable to attack from the air and from surface vessels.
2.U-boats were highly maneuverable and could operate in shallow waters, which made them well-suited for the coastal waters around Britain.
3.U-boats were capable of launching torpedoes, which could sink enemy ships without the need for close-range combat. This allowed U-boats to attack British ships from a distance, reducing the risk of detection and counterattack.
4.The U-boat represented a new type of warfare that the British had not faced before, and they were initially unprepared for its capabilities. This allowed U-boats to inflict significant damage on British shipping before countermeasures could be developed.
Overall, Germany expected the U-boat to be more successful in combating the British blockade because it was a new and innovative weapon that could operate in ways that traditional surface ships could not. However, as the war progressed, the British developed countermeasures such as sonar and convoy systems that reduced the effectiveness of U-boats, and ultimately helped to turn the tide of the war in the Allies' favor.