Szent István's sinking under torpedo-boat attack provides a concrete wartime example of the Adriatic's geographic constraints. A ship cannot simply run into the open ocean and disappear from pursuit. Confined routes let an enemy anticipate movement and bring comparably fast light forces into contact. Speed and armour still matter tactically, but neither removes the exposure created by an enclosed operating area.
Notable Point · 50:07-50:29
Szent István and enclosed-sea survivability
The sinking of Szent István shows why even fast or heavily protected ships cannot rely on escape inside the confined Adriatic.