Q&A · 2:31:07-2:31:54

Commanding the Norwegian campaign differently

A favorite-command question becomes a critique of the fragmented decisions that shaped British naval operations off Norway.

Question

Which World War I or World War II naval battle or campaign would be most appealing to command?

Short answer

The Norwegian campaign, because better coordination could prevent the carrier from operating alone and correct several avoidable command failures.

Notes

Midway is the favourite battle, but Norway is the campaign most worth changing through command. The first correction would be to stop any aircraft carrier from being sent away on its own. That choice stands for a broader effort to coordinate the campaign more coherently. Command failures and force protection matter more here than treating Norway as an unavoidable operational defeat.