Greece lacked the money and numbers to create the island-defense force it needed, while Dutch destroyers were designed around battlecruisers that were never built. Norway's small coastal vessels could not credibly distract or defeat modern destroyers in exposed waters. Poland stands out for tailoring powerful ships to Baltic sweeps, convoy protection, and likely Soviet threats despite much stronger pressure to spend on its army. Together the cases show that buying individual hulls is not the same as building a force whose numbers, partners, and missions fit one another.
Chapter · 1:44:09-2:20:20
Small navies still need a coherent destroyer force
Greek, Dutch, Norwegian, and Polish examples show the difference between buying ships, building a force around a mission, and having enough hulls to execute it.