When a new type of warship, the aircraft carrier, came into existence after World War I, it could not yet be suspected that a quarter-century later this type would surpass and finally replace the battleship, which until then had been regarded as the "nucleus" of every high-sea fleet. At that time the aircraft carrier was still regarded as a kind of auxiliary warship, and certainly as a satellite of the battleship, to which it could be assigned for its protection. Only a few far-seeing naval officers considered the possibility of offensive carrier warfare, and they were stationed, as could be said, at indefensible positions. The opposition of those circles who continued to see the battleship as the "non plus ultra" and were willing to concede, at most, reconnaissance service and defensive possibilities to the carrier, was too great. But since the new type of warship was at hand, the great sea powers did not give up on it, but at first they did very little to promote its further development. Meanwhile, time worked in favor of the airplane: with the increase in aircraft performance, the tactical standpoints toward a future sea war changed, and the aircraft carrier gradually gained importance.