How would Britain deploy its capital ships if it focused on the Pacific at the beginning of the Second World War?
Short answerIt would likely hold the main force in the Indian Ocean, close enough to deter Japan but flexible enough to return toward the Mediterranean.
NotesThe force would probably remain in the Indian Ocean rather than deploy directly into the western Pacific. From there it could deter Japan, stay beyond an easy surprise strike, and return toward the Mediterranean if Italy entered the war. This position preserves flexibility between two theaters. It also fits British carrier doctrine shaped by the First World War, in which ships such as Ark Royal were intended to strike hostile fleets sheltering in harbor.