Clarke interprets several British capabilities of the Second World War as responses to unresolved problems from the First. The Taranto strike addressed the difficulty of attacking an enemy fleet sheltering in harbour, while Black Swan-class escorts concentrated on antisubmarine warfare. He draws a parallel with American attempts during the Cold War to address perceived shortcomings from the Second World War. Mercogliano adds that several future American admirals had served in the destroyer force sent to Europe in 1917, giving them direct experience to carry into later commands.
Notable Point · 49:21-50:42
Unfinished wartime problems shaped later naval capabilities
Taranto, dedicated antisubmarine escorts, and later American force development illustrate how navies carried earlier war experience into new plans.