While the German army recuperated Cure from the losses Earnings_and_losses of 1916 , protected Defending by the Hindenburg Line and similar defensive positions Placing on the rest of the Western Front , a return to unrestricted submarine warfare Hostile_encounter and a strategic bombing Attack offensive against Britain was planned Arranging .

The British had the Royal Navy which was superior in numbers and could operate Being_in_operation on most of the world 's oceans because of the British Empire , whereas the Imperial German Navy surface fleet was mainly restricted Hindering to the German Bight , and used Using commerce raiders and unrestricted submarine warfare to operate elsewhere .