German criticism of Italian surface officers is challenged here. Italy had maintained a balanced fleet and gave many officers substantial time managing ships at sea. Germany's much smaller interwar fleet tried to rotate enough officers through limited billets to support rapid expansion, leaving less practical experience per officer. The comparison emphasizes institutional opportunity for sea experience rather than nationality as a shortcut for competence.
Notable Point · 1:21:21-1:22:18
Why Italian surface officers could be more experienced than German advisers
Italian officers often possessed more sea time and fleet-management experience than officers from Germany's rapidly expanded surface navy.