Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:31:06-2:31:26

Battleships expected torpedo attacks as routine

Doctrine followed threat expectation: a battleship crew treated torpedo evasion as routine because every smaller opponent needed that weapon to defeat it.

BattleshipsLive Q&ANaval DoctrineShip ManoeuvringTorpedoesUS Navy
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Question

Why did US battleships know to maneuver against torpedoes when cruisers sometimes did not?

Short answer

Battleship procedures assumed torpedo attack because the ships were obvious high-value targets and torpedoes were the main way smaller combatants could sink them.

Notes

Standard operating procedure explains the difference. Battleships were conspicuous, valuable targets, and commanders expected smaller ships to use torpedoes against them. Their crews therefore rehearsed evasive maneuvering as part of normal battle preparation. Platform value and enemy weapon options shape routine naval training.