How an earlier British 14-inch gun could have reshaped the dreadnought race

What might have changed if Britain had adopted 14-inch guns instead of 13.5-inch guns before the First World War?

It could have accelerated the international gun-calibre race by forcing Germany, the United States, and Japan to match or leapfrog the British step.

Gun calibre is a small design decision with large competitive consequences. German planners could dismiss the British 13.5-inch step more easily than a visibly larger 14-inch weapon, potentially forcing an earlier German response. American and Japanese designers seeking individually more powerful ships would then face their own decision about whether to match or leapfrog the British calibre. This naval arms-race butterfly effect could bring 16-inch and possibly larger guns into planning sooner.