The prewar US Navy possessed many capable battleships, but its shortage of modern screening ships left it poorly balanced for a realistic fleet action. A battleship-only comparison could place it among the leading navies while concealing that weakness. An opposing cruiser and destroyer force could locate the American battle line and overwhelm its few effective scouts. The loss of those scouts would deprive the battleships of information while exposing them to torpedo attacks. Secondary batteries would then have to provide protection that a proper screen should have supplied. The comparison warns against projecting the much stronger US Navy of World War II backwards onto its position in 1914-16.
Chapter · 1:12:37-1:16:29
America built battleships without a balanced fleet screen
The prewar American battle line lacked enough modern cruisers and destroyers to scout, maintain communications, and protect it in a realistic fleet action.