The seamanship lesson of Dogger Bank

Fog of war can lead allied warships to exchange fire at night when opposing fleets operate close together. Dogger Bank was different because the supposed Japanese enemy was on the other side of the world and lacked the means to appear in the North Sea. Exhaustion, poor pay, and inadequate preparation help explain the Russian crews' condition, but they do not excuse the failure to identify illuminated civilian vessels. The basic lessons are to understand the rules of the sea and know what a prospective target actually looks like. The closing comparison credits Rozhestvensky with raising the squadron's standard before Tsushima despite its condition at Dogger Bank.