|
Rulers, Warlords And Admirals: The Epic Saga of Power and International Politics of Titanic Wars.
The grandeur, majesty and sheer power of the floating fortresses.For centuries the wind and the elements were dominant factors in war at sea, but the era of steam propulsion, and more accurate firepower developed a revolutionary transformation for the battleship.Armor-plating created the iron clad, and the turret gun radically changed battle strategy forever.The Battleships unveils the epic saga of power, politics, and one-upmanship that led to the titanic wars of the last century.Hostilities between Germany and Britain in 1914 saw the battleships at the peak of its superiority among fighting ships.In firepower, nothing could equal the Dreadnoughts - now the ultimate class in the navies of the world.
After World War I, more powerful battleships were planned.A new arms race began.Radical new ships, larger and with more firepower than ever before were unveiled.As political conditions deteriorated in Europe, it became clear that the battleship would play a key role in any future armed conflict between the major nations of the world.Post WWII, the battleship no longer remained the capital ship of the world's navies, but did play a significant role in the wars of the later part of the 20th Century.But their vulnerability to air attack came into play and the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.The great naval battles of the Pacific saw the battleship play a secondary role to the mighty aircraft carrier.
Narrated By Robyn Williams
|
|
