Dunkerque pushed Scharnhorst toward a third turret

France used its treaty allowance to create the Dunkerque class for two related tasks: dealing with older Italian battleships and hunting surface raiders. That mission supports treating Dunkerque as a fast battleship rather than merely an anti-Deutschland cruiser. Its appearance pushed German planners toward a stronger design. Erich Raeder wanted both more protection and a third triple turret, while Hitler repeatedly accepted greater armor and subdivision before approving more armament. The third turret was finally authorized in 1934, moving the improved Deutschland concept decisively toward the completed Scharnhorst class.