The closing judgment separates Persano's reasoning from his execution. If Affondatore was the fleet's decisive weapon, placing the admiral aboard it was defensible, and Persano had inherited a navy only five years into its institutional formation. He moved too late and failed to make the change clear enough for captains still watching Re d'Italia. Tegetthoff provides the contrast by remaining on his flagship, retaining the trust of his officers and crews, and keeping control during the approach and melee.
Notable Point · 56:50-58:13
Persano's plausible idea fails in execution
Persano's move to Affondatore fits his belief in the ram as a decisive weapon, but the late transfer and unclear signals ruin the idea.