Independent destroyer operations had seemed unusual early in the First World War, but the 1926 doctrine treated them as a core requirement. A destroyer serving within a fleet could rely on heavier ships for support. An independent force could not assume the same protection. That change pushed destroyers toward larger hulls and away from the dimensions associated with torpedo boats.
Notable Point · 55:00-56:02
Independent operations push destroyers to grow
Making independent operations a core duty pushed destroyers to grow beyond the small hulls that could rely on heavier fleet units.