ABSTRACT
Small is a comparison to something else, in this case the United States Navy (USN) during the last eighteen months of the Second World War in the Pacific. As such the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) can in some ways be regarded as a prime example of a Small Navy. The learning process was one of the most important aspects of the BPF's experience and to be effective and profound there were certain conditions that had to be met. The process of integration into the USN's planning was neither smooth nor inevitable but it was greatly assisted by a number of key individuals who had the foresight to recognise what the Pacific experience represented and the diplomatic nous to ensure British participation. The British deployed both 'Highball bombers' and XE-craft to the Pacific as part of their contribution. The British learned much from their time operating alongside the USN that would later influence the whole post-War Royal Navy.
