Early American naval planning treated the Atlantic and Pacific as vast defensive moats. Overseas possessions and bases kept threats on the far side of those oceans, while the main battle line protected the approaches to the United States. The Lexington-class battlecruisers supplied a faster element, but the core formation did not need exceptional speed when an enemy had to come to it. American battleships could concentrate on armour and firepower for a sustained close contest. Geography shaped the balance among speed, protection, and weapons.
Notable Point · 46:28-47:59
America's oceans favoured a slower defensive battle line
Treating the Atlantic and Pacific as strategic moats allowed the United States to favour a heavily armoured, heavily armed battle line that an attacker would have to approach.