Why Dunkerque was a battleship and Alaska a large cruiser

How do Dunkerque and Alaska compare in the battleship, battlecruiser, and large-cruiser debate?

Dunkerque was a treaty-constrained battleship, while Alaska was a large cruiser designed around carrier escort and reconnaissance missions.

Dunkerque was a battleship because of her subdivision, protection scheme, and place in French strategy. She was intended to defeat German cruisers and face Scharnhorst-class and older Italian battleships within France's treaty tonnage limits. Alaska, by contrast, grew from an American cruiser requirement and was intended as a large escort and reconnaissance cruiser for carrier operations. Each design reflects its navy's strategic situation and industrial choices. Comparing labels requires examining role and design lineage rather than displacement alone.