Would a paper fleet bring war closer?

One suggestion is that seven additional capital ships could make Nazi leaders more confident about starting a European war. The objection is that the ships lack crews and would need an estimated eighteen months to two years to work up. A further disagreement concerns how much weight the leadership placed on naval power at all: land expansion, prestige, and deterring British intervention are offered as different considerations. A larger German fleet would also make French cooperation more valuable to Britain and diminish Italy's relative naval standing. The Royal Navy could respond with increased submarine production, especially the small U-class boats considered quickest to build. The discussion therefore produces competing possibilities for war timing rather than an agreed prediction.