A ten-battleship German program completed in 1948 would face a Britain capable of fielding several times as many modern capital ships plus a larger carrier and cruiser force. Adding Italian and Japanese construction would intensify the democratic powers' response and place severe pressure on the dictatorships' weaker economies. Germany could use its surface fleet for commerce raiding, coastal strikes, distraction, and forcing an enemy to divert forces, but a decisive contest with Britain remained implausible. The Soviet Union was the one opponent against which German naval dominance appeared credible, echoing Germany's effective use of Baltic superiority during the First World War.
Chapter · 49:01-52:18
Raiding Britain, not defeating it for sea control
Against major maritime powers, Plan Z was better suited to raids and diversion; the Soviet Union was the opponent Germany might plausibly dominate at sea.