The timing argument places the necessary destroyer orders in 1915 if the ships were to become available from 1917 onward. Authorizing a large fleet in 1916 left construction lagging behind the developing war. The difference between American destroyer orders in 1938 and 1940 supplies a comparison with the next conflict. An eventual increase in orders could expand the future fleet, but construction time still separated authorization from service.
Notable Point · 31:03-31:52
Destroyer orders needed to precede wartime demand
The criticism of the 1916 program concerns construction lead time, with a parallel drawn to the much larger orders placed in 1940.