Q&A · 4:26:22-4:27:00

Ordering two Tigers before Battenberg preferred fast battleships

A proposal for two Tigers depends on orders predating a First Sea Lord who would favor fast battleships.

Question

Would a prewar program of five King George V-class battleships, five Iron Dukes, and two Tigers have been a better choice?

Short answer

It is an acceptable proposal, but the two Tigers would need to be ordered before Louis of Battenberg became First Sea Lord and favored fast battleships instead.

Notes

A revised prewar building program with two Tiger battlecruisers is acceptable in principle. The obstacle is when the ships are ordered. Once Louis of Battenberg becomes First Sea Lord, his preference for fast battleships makes two additional battlecruisers much harder to obtain. The counterfactual therefore depends on placing those orders before the change in leadership.