Naval diplomacy at the brink of force

Which naval-diplomacy stories carry the message that the situation will become much worse if escalation continues?

The Tsingtao and Asama Maru incidents are suggested as examples of brinkmanship backed by credible naval force.

The Tsingtao and Asama Maru incidents show ships being used to change another state's behaviour before open combat began. In each case, the target had to believe that refusal could produce a much more dangerous confrontation. The naval force made escalation visible without a formal spoken ultimatum. These incidents show coercive diplomacy at the edge of war, when the credibility of force is part of the message.