Britain had reasons to restrain Germany and could tolerate Roosevelt's reciprocal reading of the Monroe Doctrine. Germany could theoretically send more ships across the Atlantic, but lacked the overseas territory, coal network, and British facilities needed to sustain them there. American concentration therefore gave London room to encourage a German retreat without Britain necessarily joining an American war. This diplomatic and logistical context shows that naval deterrence depends on alliances, basing, fuel, and theatre access as much as total fleet size.
Notable Point · 31:35-34:33
British alignment and German coal limits
Roosevelt's leverage in the Venezuela crisis depended on British interests and Germany's lack of Atlantic coaling support as well as American ships.