Eric Brind demonstrates controlled naval diplomacy at Tsingtao

Eric Brind's command of HMS Birmingham at Tsingtao required firmness without uncontrolled escalation. Facing three Japanese cruisers at close range, the British response had to avoid both hesitation that might look like weakness and excess that might trigger war. No single authority choreographed the confrontation; officers on both sides improvised while interpreting each movement and pause. Brind's self-control, perception, and command of a cruiser made the episode an unusually direct model of naval diplomacy. His selection to lead Greenwich after the Second World War gave future officers an educator whose experience anticipated the controlled signaling and perception management of Cold War operations. The appointment reflects the Navy's practice of choosing presidents partly for the professional behavior students could observe in their careers.