The Deutschland class remains a heavy-cruiser design despite its six 11-inch guns, and the newspaper label 'pocket battleship' should not determine the analysis. By the Scharnhorst program, Germany had effective new 11-inch weapons, while its desired 15-inch guns remained unavailable. Waiting for the larger battery risked delaying both the return of a German battleship and the later Bismarck program. The smaller battery produced a fast, well-armored ship that fell short of the ideal but could enter service sooner. Scharnhorst's existence announced that Germany had recovered the industrial and technical capacity to field a battleship, giving the class political value beyond its gun calibre.
Notable Point · 31:27-33:08
Scharnhorst's guns and the status of having a battleship
Germany fitted Scharnhorst with available 11-inch guns because putting a fast, armored battleship into service carried more value than waiting for the preferred 15-inch battery.