Mercogliano uses William Sims's letters to examine his candid criticism of fellow admirals and his dealings with the British. He interprets Sims's support for British convoy arrangements as a response to operational conditions in 1917, rather than national bias. The dispute over convoy size involved Chief of Naval Operations William Benson and developed into a postwar confrontation with Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels. Ernest King, who had served on Admiral Mayo's staff, later wanted to avoid repeating that kind of senior-level conflict after the Second World War.
Notable Point · 43:00-46:18
Sims's letters expose the command dispute behind convoy policy
Personal correspondence reveals how operational disagreements became accusations of national bias and shaped later naval leadership.