Submarines punish assumptions about sanctuary at sea. Ships operating alone or relaxing anti-submarine precautions create opportunities for an ambush even far from the expected center of a campaign. The problem belongs to a longer history of commerce raiding: submarines changed the method, but the need for vigilance remained. John Paul Jones provides an age-of-sail example of a weaker force denying Britain a complete sense of safety. Escorts, paired sailing, and zigzagging impose costs, yet treating apparently quiet waters as safe can carry a much greater price.
Notable Point · 2:08:18-2:12:31
The false comfort of a safe sea zone
Suffren's loss supports a broader warning that warships cannot abandon escorts, zigzagging, or vigilance merely because an area seems safe.