The Royal Navy's interwar preparation concentrated on failures it wanted to avoid repeating from the First World War. Germany's escape after Jutland encouraged sustained night-fighting exercises, including free-play fleet battles despite their risks. Cruisers were expected to detect approaching submarines and evade them, while attacks on fleets in harbor addressed another recurring frustration. Taranto and Mers-el-Kébir are examples of the resulting willingness to strike ships in port. This interpretation connects later operations to specific problems that had shaped training and doctrine between the wars.
Notable Point · 15:33-17:25
How First World War failures shaped Royal Navy preparation
Night exercises, cruiser defenses against submarines, and attacks on fleets in port addressed problems carried over from the First World War.