Once every major power was at war, ships, skilled personnel, industrial plant, and outside suppliers were already committed. The comparison with 1939-41 shows the available choices contracting year by year as mobilization consumes spare capacity. Smaller powers suffer most because they have less money, industry, and strategic depth with which to absorb an earlier mistake. By January 1942, their forces and institutions were fixed by decisions made before the crisis, leaving no choice among several good remedies.
Chapter · 0:05-1:31
Why minor navies had almost no options by 1942
The opening explains why January 1942 left smaller naval powers with far less room to change course than they had before the war.