Richardson wrote that peacetime naval strategy should support national policy strongly enough to deter conflict while preparing to fight if deterrence failed. His checklist covered base location and defenses, ship characteristics and numbers, personnel, training, war plans, auxiliaries, joint operations, and fleet distribution. It required national policy to be stated clearly enough for naval preparation to serve it. The paper treats strategy as a joint responsibility of naval leaders and statesmen that begins well before war rather than at mobilization.
Chapter · 31:41-36:47
Richardson's functions of naval strategy
A 1934 paper defines naval strategy as continuous work linking policy, bases, force design, training, logistics, and wartime operations.