OT: Question: The Battle of Savo Island

[Footslogger]

What was the single most fault, for the Allies defeat at The Battle of Savo Island?

Command?

Communication?

[btd64]

ORIGINAL: Footslogger

What was the single most fault, for the Allies defeat at The Battle of Savo Island?

Command?

Communication?

I vote for Communication. A lack of communication, or a breakdown of communication, caused ships to be out of position. Sightings were poorly pasted along. My 2 cents....GP

[Buckrock]

There were multiple factors influencing the result that night but if I had to pick the most significant that influenced the final combat result of 4-0 in cruiser losses, I'd choose Allied communications as well. Failure between the various groups and individual ships to pass on vital sighting and encounter information led to a fatal lack of Allied situational awareness as the enemy were conducting their attacks. Having said that, the Allied failures didn't automatically mean they were bound to suffer such a major tactical defeat. The Japanese still had to be good enough on the night to take the opportunity offered and run with it.

[LeeChard]

Not putting your best radar equipped ship near the front of the column.

[MakeeLearn]

Communication of Commands.

[Lecivius]

Arrogance.

[fodder]

Night!

[rms1pa]

for what its worth ,

commanders had not made the conversion from peacetime to wartime modes of thought. i have been told the first thing said was "cease fire you are shooting at our own ships". having fueled floatplanes did not help.wardrooms still had stuffed chairs to burn and the paint not stripped. in game terms lack of night experience.

rms/pa

[Lokasenna]

Lack of experience in night battles and particularly lack of experience in cooperating between commands.

[m10bob]

Some allied ships captains have been blamed for ignoring an old Napoleonic maxim to..."Follow the sound of the guns"..

The Cpt of the CA Chicago comes to mind.

It was still early in the war and some command personnel factors in combat had not been observed yet.

(Now I will be getting my flame retardant suit on, lol)...and yes...I am a combat vet.

[zuluhour]

yes, the CO proved inept.

[Yaab]

Savo Island - only savy COs allowed.