A North American war would redirect imperial forces

Britain would not need a direct battleship duel with the United States to impose costs. Fast battlecruisers could raid, refuse an unfavorable engagement, and compel slower American battleships to respond across a long coastline. HMS Tiger is suggested as the likely flagship of that effort. Queen Elizabeth-class support could provide a heavier striking force once those ships entered service, while the battlecruisers relied on mobility rather than fighting the American battle line alone. British, Australian, Indian, and other imperial forces would also be redirected from Europe and the Mediterranean. That diversion might prevent the Gallipoli campaign and leave France more heavily burdened on the Western Front. The American war would therefore alter both naval deployments and the allocation of imperial manpower.