The Navy
Great Britain, Germany, the USA and Japan were all working on similar designs for a new class of Battleship at the turn of the 20th Century. Their designers wanted to provide as much protection, speed and firepower in a Ship of realistic size and cost. When HMS Dreadnought entered Service in 1906 her power and performance were so superior to any other Ship that all subsequent British Battleships of the same design were generically known as 'Dreadnoughts'. With her new 'all big Guns' design, HMS Dreadnought carried ten 12" Guns placed to the front and rear of the 'Central Citadel', the control centre of the Battleship which was covered in 12" steel plate.
For increased power and speed She was also given steam turbine propulsion, unprecedented in Battleships at the time. Germany's designers went for slightly smaller Guns and less steel plating which led to increased speed and manoeuvrability.
The German Battle Fleet was smaller than the British Navy's and they tried to avoid conflict between the 2 Fleets but they met in the North Sea off the coast of Denmark on the night of May 31st / June 1st 1916. The 'Battle of Jutland' involved 250 Ships from both sides in the only direct clash between the 2 Fleets in WW1. The Battle lasted far into the night with both sides suffering a combined 10,000 dead or injured by its close.
The Germans withdrew and both sides claimed victory but a draw would be a fairer description.  
Germany avoided further direct 'Fleet to Fleet' action and focused their Naval efforts on unrestricted submarine warfare against Allied and neutral shipping, a policy which helped trigger America's entrance into the War in 1917.