Later Eight-Eight Fleet proposals extended the earlier method. As the United States built a larger standardized battle fleet, Japan adjusted the mix of battleships, fast battleships, and battlecruisers it believed necessary. One revision became four dreadnought battleships, eight fast battleships, and four battlecruisers, described here as a four-eight-four variation on the original concept. The durable principle was candid self-assessment: Japan needed a force that could deter conflict, win the first major battle if necessary, and secure peace before a resource-rich enemy turned the war into a prolonged contest.
Chapter · 1:20:32-1:23:02
From the Six-Six Fleet to the Eight-Eight Fleet
Japan adapted the Six-Six Fleet's logic into later Eight-Eight plans as American battleship construction changed the scale of the threat.