A fleet exercise observed by the king saw Beatty outmaneuvered in fog by his second-in-command. Instead of allowing the simulated destruction of his force to play out, Beatty ended the exercise. The king regarded the decision as evidence of poor professional judgment and an unwillingness to accept defeat. The episode shows why exercises reveal command character as well as tactical skill.
Notable Point · 4:02:14-4:02:41
Beatty ended an exercise after being outmaneuvered
A command-culture anecdote recounts the king's reaction when Beatty stopped a fog exercise rather than accept defeat by a subordinate.