The American evolutionary route depends on slower, heavily armed battleships whose concentrated firepower compensates for speed. If Britain begins the dreadnought era with triple 14-inch mountings, the United States has to develop comparable turrets and guns sooner, possibly on much larger hulls. That demand cuts across the gradual path that later produced the Standard-type battleships. The technological starting point of the arms race therefore changes the whole American design sequence.
Notable Point · 1:10:10-1:11:52
The American battleship path is forced upward
A British response built around triple 14-inch guns and high speed would force the US Navy to reconsider slower ships built around volume of fire.