Sea Control Sea Control 585: Imperial Germany and China’s Basing Ambitions with Chuck Ridgway
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Sep 6, 2025 Chuck Ridgeway, a retired U.S. Navy commander and author, dives into the parallels between Imperial Germany's naval strategies and China's current ambitions. He discusses China's increasing influence in Africa, touching on resource extraction and security issues. The conversation highlights historical lessons on naval diplomacy and explores Germany’s colonial interests in East Asia. Ridgeway shares insights from his research and experiences, illuminating the significance of historical context in understanding modern maritime challenges.
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Squadron Served Peacetime Diplomacy
- The German East Asia Squadron mainly performed naval diplomacy, not high-end wartime operations.
- Its peacetime role protected merchants, citizens, and prestige across East Asia.
Archive Trip Revealed Daily Squadron Life
- Ridgeway visited Freiburg and examined primary ship logbooks and photo albums from the China station.
- He used bimonthly commander reports to reconstruct what the squadron actually did before WWI.
Isolated Bases Are Strategically Fragile
- Isolated overseas bases without defensible networks are extremely vulnerable in war.
- Germany knew Tsingtao couldn't be protected, limiting the squadron's wartime utility.
