Two naval competitions shaped the design: the Anglo-German race in numbers and an Anglo-American-Italian race in gun caliber and battleship quality. The Nevada and Pennsylvania comparisons show why British choices had to answer 14-inch American ships as well as German production. Nevada's armor and endurance on a long deployment are weighed against Queen Elizabeth's decisive speed advantage, while Pennsylvania raises the pressure with twelve 14-inch guns. The Queen Elizabeth class answered several rival design pressures at once.
Notable Point · 12:51-21:20
The qualitative dreadnought race
The class is placed in an Anglo-American-Italian race in quality alongside the familiar Anglo-German race in numbers.