Doveton Sturdee accepted scattered, penny-packet deployments instead of giving Cradock an explicit order to hold the Falklands while reinforcements concentrated there. As chief of the Admiralty war staff, he was supposed to translate Churchill's concerns into an operational plan and push back when the minister's wording was unclear or dangerous. He did not have the political weight to do that consistently, and Churchill later protected him from blame while assigning responsibility to the dead Cradock. Officers serving in Whitehall need political skill as well as naval competence because they operate on politicians' ground and must make a naval case persuasively. Coronel shows the operational cost when that staff function fails and ships are dispersed faster than coherent orders can be produced.
Notable Point · 37:19-43:14
Doveton Sturdee and leadership in Whitehall
The naval staff failed to turn political direction into clear orders or to concentrate the ships needed to stop Von Spee.