Italian neutrality would let Britain reconsider which battleships belonged in the Mediterranean. The proposed arrangement places the R-class there and releases Queen Elizabeth-class ships for northern covering forces. Warspite joining Hood and Prince of Wales against Bismarck is offered as one possible consequence. That creates a tactical choice between keeping the force together and letting a faster ship act independently. The exchange raises those options without settling on a definite battle outcome.
Notable Point · 3:18:22-3:19:20
How neutral Italy could release battleships for northern waters
The neutrality scenario shifts the problem from Mediterranean commitments to how extra British heavy ships would operate in the north.