Was Hood chosen for the Empire Cruise to demonstrate that Britain could still pressure the United States and Japan?
Short answerYes, as part of a task group showing that British forces could reach trade routes worldwide and exploit an opponent's need to disperse.
NotesThe Empire Cruise warned the United States and Japan about Britain's reach rather than displaying Hood alone. Repulse and the rest of the task group demonstrated that Britain could send fast heavy ships onto trade routes anywhere in the world. Concentrated American battleships could defeat an isolated battlecruiser in battle, but they could not catch Hood, Repulse, or Renown and defend every route simultaneously. Dispersing the US battle line would invite a concentrated British squadron to defeat its pieces, while keeping it together would leave commerce exposed. British submarines, overseas bases, and a possible move against the Panama Canal compounded the dilemma. An Anglo-American war in the 1920s or 1930s would therefore be economically ruinous for both states rather than a clean contest decided by one fleet action.