France's likely regional opponents place its dreadnought programme in a three-sided Mediterranean competition with Italy and Austria-Hungary. Shifting alignments complicate any simple two-navy race. The projected Francesco Caracciolo class shows how an ambitious Italian design could alter that balance if completed. Judging these fleets against their regional rivals makes their procurement and design choices easier to understand.
Notable Point · 33:42-34:30
The Mediterranean dreadnought race
French capital-ship choices belonged to a Mediterranean three-way competition with Italy and Austria-Hungary, not simply a race against Britain.