David Beatty and later advocates used the Far East plan to argue for logistics investment in the face of government cuts, but Japan was only one of three possible opponents. Fast tankers most directly served the Japanese contingency, while mass-produced Flower-class escorts answered Germany's submarine threat and heavy cruisers could be especially useful against Italy. Each capability was valuable in a particular war but less decisive in the other two. Interwar procurement therefore required a portfolio of capabilities shaped by several possible wars.
Notable Point · 21:34-22:49
One fleet, three opponent-specific requirements
Preparing for Germany, Italy, or Japan created different specialized demands that Britain could not fund at full scale simultaneously.