Actually, the studies done in the 70s for the resupply of Europe said the most cost effective approach was to buy more targets. Attack submarines were the best defense, but it was still more cost effective to buy more transports. As you can imagine, this report was not widely distributed, and its author never made Admiral.
Ah yes, the old nuclear war by attrition strategy.
Actually, the studies done in the 70s for the resupply of Europe said the most cost effective approach was to buy more targets
The policy during WWII was to build ships faster than the Germans could sink 'em. "Freedom's Forge" said that pre-war, ship building took months to build a freighter. We started launching new Liberty and Victory ships in weeks. Then we sharpened our anti-sub skills and things got better by mid-1943.