Deterrence depends on communicating a boundary clearly enough that the other side cannot mistake it for an opening bid. The discussion contrasts an unequivocal Royal Navy response during a 1939 incident with the multiple options offered at Mers-el-Kebir. In this interpretation, limiting the French choices to joining the fight, moving the fleet beyond German reach, or being sunk would have made the consequence easier to understand. Numerous off-ramps may express restraint, but an opponent can instead read them as uncertainty and room to delay.
Notable Point · 3:40-5:18
Why deterrent messages must be unequivocal
The video compares firm naval ultimatums with offers containing so many alternatives that an opponent may perceive room to delay.