I had to get my history books and dust off the copy of G. Edward Griffin's the Creature from Jekyll Island. Pg. 237 of Creature, Germany's U-boats almost won the war. Germany had a total of twenty-one U-boats, but, because they constantly had to be repaired and serviced, the maximum number at sea was only seven at any one time. Yet, between 1914 and 1918, German submarines had sunk over 5,700 surface ships. Three-hundred thousand tons of Allied shipping were sent to the bottom every week. One out of every four steamers leaving the British Isles never returned. In later years, British Foreign Secretary, Arthur Balfour, wrote: "At that time, it certainly looked as though we were going to lose the war." Germany's innovation is what powered them through the beginning and middle stages of the war. They began panicking and making moves to sustain themselves in the later years, as any nation would do when being surrounded on all sides. During the middle of the war, their tactics were second to none. For them to bear the weight of an entire united force against them, and for how long they fought, was truly a historical accomplishment of utmost praise. German's are perhaps the best fighting force in history.