A new all-big-gun battleship immediately reduced the value of Britain’s overwhelming pre-dreadnought superiority, so building Dreadnought requires more explanation than a simple response to Germany. Germany was still content to construct pre-dreadnoughts while the United States, Italy, and Japan appeared ready to pursue all-big-gun designs. Britain could not allow any of those states to steal a march in the technology race. Fisher’s claims about greater cost-effectiveness form part of the case, but strategic design leadership sits at its centre. Dreadnought therefore appears as a calculated reset intended to keep Britain ahead of several potential competitors.
Chapter · 17:54-19:07
Why Britain built Dreadnought despite its old-fleet lead
Britain accepted that Dreadnought would erase much of its pre-dreadnought advantage because the United States, Italy, and Japan threatened to seize the technological lead.