The comparison shifts briefly to Spain's three dreadnoughts, whose modest size and fighting power did not change their classification. They were designed as battleships for Spanish requirements, even if the much older HMS Dreadnought might have defeated all three. A joke from the South American dreadnought race cast Spain as no longer the strongest Spanish-speaking naval power. The useful point is that classification follows the role and design category a navy chose rather than a universal threshold of size or combat superiority.
Notable Point · 46:29-48:28
Spanish dreadnoughts clarify what makes a battleship
Spain's small, weak dreadnoughts still count as battleships, reinforcing that size and fighting power do not turn Dunkerque into a battlecruiser.