The French and Italian navies fled, causing the Joint Fleet to collapse in an instant. With the departure of the six battleships from France and Italy, the British Navy was left with only fourteen capital ships. To face the German Navy's thirty-four capital ships with such a depleted force was nothing short of a delusion.
The outcome was inevitable: the remaining British ships would be utterly destroyed by the German Navy, with no hope of escape. After all, the Germans still had eleven battlecruisers. Even if the British fleet attempted to flee, they could not evade the relentless pursuit of these formidable vessels.
"General, what should we do now?" Vice Admiral David Beatty asked, panic creeping into his voice.
"What else is there to do? The French and Italians have abandoned us. Can these remaining ships still fight the Germans?" Admiral John Jellicoe replied, his face etched with despair.
They had already been at a severe disadvantage, and now, with the departure of their allies, their chances of victory had dwindled to nothing. It was clear that the battle was lost, and the opportunity for a turnaround was forever gone.
The consequences of this defeat were all too apparent. The British Empire would no longer have a chance to recover from this naval disaster.
The French and Italian kingdoms would soon surrender to the Germans. They had waited for the outcome of this sea battle, hoping for victory. Had the battle gone in their favor, they might have had a slim chance for survival, or at the very least, they could have negotiated a more honorable peace. But after this defeat, all hope was extinguished. With no other option, their only choice was surrender. And the sooner they surrendered, the sooner the war would end, minimizing the cost to their nations. The longer the war dragged on, the greater their losses.
Once France and Italy capitulated, the Germans would be free to focus their full strength on the British Empire. The British had two choices: surrender to Germany, though the conditions would be harsh, reducing the once mighty empire to a third-rate power; or fight to the bitter end, even though such resistance would likely be futile. The powerful German army, supported by the navy, would soon cross the Channel and land on British soil. The British Isles would be reduced to a charred wasteland, and countless lives would be lost. In the end, the British Empire would cease to exist.
"Order the fleet to scatter and break through! This battle is lost. Continuing to fight will only result in being destroyed by the Germans. Rather than let everyone perish here, we should try to break out. Some may still make it back to Britain. May God protect us and allow as many as possible to escape!" Admiral Jellicoe sighed deeply.
Vice Admiral Beatty closed his eyes in anguish. They had exhausted every possible tactic to ensure victory, but tragically, they had failed. The result was simply unbearable.
Yet, reality was unforgiving, and there was no room for denial.
"May God save the British Empire!" Beyond his prayer, Vice Admiral Beatty seemed to have no other thoughts.
The order to scatter and break out was given, and the remaining British warships began to turn and accelerate. To evade the inevitable German pursuit, the ship captains ordered the boilers to be overdriven, pushing them to their limits even if it meant damaging the engines. The only hope was to escape, for if they failed, sinking would be inevitable. The condition of the boilers no longer mattered—survival was the only concern.
The remaining British capital ships, along with the smaller vessels, began their retreat. The Royal Navy, once a symbol of maritime dominance, now resembled a pack of strays fleeing for their lives.
The Germans, taken by surprise, had not expected such a reaction. They had assumed the British would fight to the end, given that this was their final opportunity. But in the last moments, the British had chosen flight.
This, however, played to the Germans' advantage. The fleeing British ships were easier to target, and the threat they posed was diminished.
"At this point, the British still think they can escape. Do they really believe we'll let them go? Order the fleet to pursue. We must destroy their ships, no matter the cost!" Admiral Reinhard Scheer commanded.
"Yes, sir."
"Also, send a message to His Highness the Prince, requesting he dispatch airstrikes. If the British want to run, let's see if they can outrun our aircraft!" Admiral Scheer gave a new order.
The ships' speed was limited to barely twenty knots, but the aircraft could reach speeds over a hundred knots. Under such circumstances, the British ships stood little chance of escape.
The only concern was the approaching nightfall. With only three or four hours until darkness, the British could use the cover of night to flee. The Germans knew they had to finish this before night fell to ensure the complete destruction of the British fleet.
As Admiral Scheer's orders were carried out, the pursuit began. The superiority of the battlecruisers was now clear. Their speed far exceeded that of the British battleships, and with only the "Tiger" battlecruiser to oppose them, the British had no chance of outrunning the German fleet.
The naval showdown had now transformed into a pursuit. With victory already secured, the German Navy's goal was now to maximize their triumph.