Fleet building provokes a system-wide response

Montecuccoli's plan did not fully account for how Italy would react to twelve Austrian battleships and a supporting cruiser force. Italian construction could prompt French expansion, which would affect German planning and intensify Britain's response. The cascade could extend to the United States, Japan, and South American naval competition as states sought not to fall behind or placed new orders abroad. This reflects a security dilemma because weapons programs arise from several fears and interests, so one state's restraint or expansion cannot be assumed to produce a matching response.