Q&A · 1:58:20-1:58:35

Does the reform show Fisher was a good admiral?

The brief positive judgment treats institutional reform as one of Fisher's strengths.

Question

Does the Selborne-Fisher reform mean Jackie Fisher was actually a good admiral?

Short answer

Yes, fairly good; Fisher certainly knew how to deal with this institutional problem.

Notes

A viewer uses the lecture's conclusion to ask whether Fisher was actually a good admiral. The answer is that he was fairly good and certainly knew how to deal with the problem under discussion. The reply is deliberately shorter than a balanced verdict on Fisher's whole career. In this context, it endorses his handling of officer education and institutional reform without resolving every controversy attached to him.