Did the Royal Navy step back from decisive-battle thinking after the First World War?
Short answerIt questioned whether another Jutland would decide the next war and retained battlecruisers for global commerce warfare alongside, not instead of, the battle fleet.
NotesThe Royal Navy questioned whether another Jutland-like battle would occur under the different geography and force balances of a Pacific war. Treaty negotiations offered Britain the option of surrendering its battlecruisers for more battleship capacity, but the navy kept Hood, Renown, and Repulse. Their value lay in hunting enemy raiders and attacking or protecting commerce across a global war, tasks a concentrated battle fleet could not perform everywhere. The decision reflected broader strategic calculation rather than a simple rejection of battle-fleet action.