Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:57:10-2:58:13

A nine-gun Deutschland could have triggered a super-cruiser race

A larger Deutschland with three 11-inch turrets would resemble an Alaska-style large cruiser and might have forced treaty powers to define and build a new counter-category.

CruisersDeutschland Class CruisersNaval Arms RaceNaval TreatiesRoyal Navy
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Question

Would a three-turret Deutschland count as a small battlecruiser?

Short answer

No. It would be closer to an Alaska-style large cruiser or a new super-cruiser category.

Notes

The distinction rests on mission and relative scale rather than gun caliber alone. A nine-gun Deutschland would remain a cruiser intended to raid trade and force expensive responses. Its existence could nevertheless push the Second London Naval Treaty toward a new tonnage and gun category for super cruisers. Britain and France might then build their own 12-inch counter-designs before the war. One successful outlier can change both treaty definitions and the ships other navies consider necessary.