Gallant Last Cruise of the Raider Emden

When Bismarck unified Germany in 1870 under Kaiser Wilhelm I, he advocated German strength on land and relegating sea power to Great Britain. However, the Kaiser's son had other ideas that he began to implement upon his succession to the throne. With Germany a growing industrial power, the German monarch felt impelled to enter the scramble for overseas colonies to act as suppliers of raw materials and purchasers of finished products.

Bismarck strenuously opposed these acquisitions because they demanded an increased Navy which would drain monies from the vital Army. Furthermore, he felt the colonies could only be liabilities in any confrontation with Great Britain, and such a confrontation was expected within the Kaiser's lifetime.

Deeply annoyed with the old chancellor's interference, Kaiser Wilhelm II forced Bismarck's retirement and proceeded, unhindered, to plan for a strong German Navy and a glorious overseas empire. However, Bismarck or not, there still remained the unpalatable fact that the British Navy far outstripped the small German coast defense force. To this problem, Wilhelm and Von Tirpitz put the best German military minds.

In the opinion of the military council, it would take many years to build a Navy capable of rivaling the British fleet and the expense would devour an untold number of marks. They felt that a sufficient number of battleships could be constructed to defend the coastline without impoverishing the country, but to follow Capt. Mahan's theory that large battle fleets are needed to attack an enemy's supply Unes would be to invite fiscal calamity. However, armored cruisers were, in theory, the best raiders for they could destroy anything that they couldn't run away from. But the cost was prohibitive for the number needed.

Protected cruisers had originally been designed for such work and they were of a more reasonable cost. Protected cruisers it would be!

The cruisers were to be small and light with only a minimum of armor and armament. In fact, they might well be weak...

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