Torpedo doctrine reveals a fleet's purpose

The lesson of Jutland is more than a question of hits: the threat of a mass torpedo attack can redirect a fleet even before weapons are fired. American four-stack destroyers provided fast platforms, yet their torpedo doctrine treated them mainly as supporting elements once a fleet engagement had already closed. That role helps explain why a 21-inch weapon could fit American practice better than a heavier long-range torpedo. American torpedo development and the Bureau of Ordnance remain open to criticism, but weapon choice is framed here as a doctrinal question rather than a specification contest.