Why interwar destroyers made night fighting their moment

The 1920s fighting instructions required admirals to weigh geography, weather, light-force strength, training, surprise, morale, and the risk of losing contact before seeking a night action. They made early, well-organised light-force attacks central to denying the enemy respite and setting up a later capital-ship engagement. Destroyers also had to report the enemy and protect the battle fleet from hostile light craft. These standing duties encouraged flotillas to rehearse decentralised, aggressive action when communications broke down and individual ships or pairs had to continue the attack. The comparison with US Navy practice is tentative because the available American primary-source evidence was limited and Japanese primary sources had not been examined to the same depth. A Royal Navy flotilla going a week without a night exercise would still have needed a convincing explanation.