School of War

Ep 96: Vincent O’Hara and Trent Hone on Naval Combat at Night

Oct 31, 2023

Naval historians Vincent O'Hara and Trent Hone discuss how technology transformed naval warfare, focusing on night combat at sea. Topics include pre-19th-century night combat, German naval thinking, Japanese success, long-range torpedoes, and changes in command expectations.

56:13

Episode guests

Trent Hone

Vincent O'Hara

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Night combat transformed naval warfare by requiring new strategies and technological advancements.

Different navies approached night combat differently, with Japan focusing on asymmetry and Italy initially dismissing its importance.

Adaptability, open-mindedness, and learning from mistakes are crucial in navigating the evolving technological landscape of naval warfare.

Deep dives

The Development of Night Naval Warfare

The podcast episode explores the development of night naval warfare, highlighting the struggle of military organizations to innovate and adapt to new technologies.

Introduction

2min

The Shift from Accidental to Intentional Night Combat in Naval Warfare

17min

Difference in French and German Thinking for Naval Blockade

3min

Naval Combat at Night and the Challenges of Misidentification

4min

The Challenges of Technology and Innovation in Naval Warfare

15min

The Practicality of Long Range Torpedoes in Naval Combat

4min

Naval Combat Systems and Changing Demands of Naval Officership

3min

Importance of Expertise in Naval Combat

9min

Vincent O’Hara and Trent Hone, naval historians and co-editors of Fighting in the Dark: Naval Combat at Night, 1904-1944, join the show to talk about how naval warfare was transformed by technology that made possible night combat at sea.

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Times

• 02:01 Introduction

• 03:35 Night combat pre-19th century

• 06:02 Why do we fight at night?

• 09:30 Getting close in

• 13:47 Different approaches

• 19:28 German naval thinking pre-WWI

• 22:05 Jutland and after

• 27:09 Theory vs. experience

• 32:04 Japanese success at night

• 37:59 The Italian navy

• 40:52 Long range torpedoes

• 45:27 Changes in command expectations

• 49:44 Dealing with technological changes today

• 52:36 Is the U.S. Navy the “best”?

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School of War

Ep 96: Vincent O’Hara and Trent Hone on Naval Combat at Night

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Development of Night Naval Warfare

The Challenges of Fighting at Sea During the Night

Technological Advancements

Different Approaches to Night Combat

Lessons for Today

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts