The inclusion of depot vessels and a torpedo gunboat shows that the Six-Six Fleet treated torpedo warfare as a supported system, with specialist support alongside the small craft. That investment connects directly to the weapons and force structure Japan fielded decades later. Technical competence alone is insufficient for interpreting another navy's choices. Analysts must study the service together with the society, strategy, and procurement culture that produced it.
Notable Point · 56:22-57:52
Torpedo investment reveals continuity in Japanese naval doctrine
Depot ships and specialist torpedo support make later Japanese emphasis on torpedoes look like institutional evolution rather than a sudden wartime innovation.