Technology, Behavior, and Effectiveness in Naval Warfare: The Battles of Savo Island and Cape Saint George

Most political science research on military effectiveness focuses on land combat. This article compares two World War II naval battles to examine how material and nonmaterial factors interact in maritime conflict. The decisive difference between catastrophic defeat and lopsided victory in the battles lay in commanders’ behavioral choices, organizational structure, and crew proficiency in using technology under stress. Naval warfare is a deeply social process, and understanding its outcomes requires integrating human behavior with technological and material analysis.