Conventional deterrence seeks to make negotiation more attractive than pressing the war button. A smaller ship can reassure an ally and organize a regional exercise that reveals strategic depth without immediately threatening the opponent. A later step might send a larger ship to the ally or directly visit the threatening state. Admiral Andrew Cunningham's wartime visit to Turkey with HMS Warspite and Tribal-class destroyers provides the strongest historical example: a famous flagship, a senior admiral, and modern escorts visibly demonstrated British power while leaving Turkey a path to neutrality. The sequence shows why varied ship types matter for diplomacy, because each level communicates a different degree of commitment.
Chapter · 25:08-30:15
Naval diplomacy works through a visible escalation ladder
Ships let governments move from reassurance and exercises to increasingly forceful visits, giving rivals opportunities to negotiate before a crisis becomes war.