Great Sea Battles of World War 2

http://www.britishlocalhistory.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=8770&ProductID=13211
After the horrors of the Great War, an uneasy peace prevailed. Britannia ruled the waves - but for how long? The mid 1930's saw Germany rebuilding her fleets, defying the Versailles Treaty as Hitler planned to encircle Britain with his Kriegsmarine. Within hours of war's declaration, a U-boat had claimed its first victim in an underwater reign of terror that struck merchantmen and warship alike. By April 1940, Germany had sunk one million tons Of Allied shipping. The entrance of Mussolini's Italy shifted the balance of power in the Mediterranean. However the course of Naval warfare was changed in 1941 when torpedo bombers from HMS Illustrious decimated the Italian fleet at anchor in Taranto, crippling three of their battleships in the first Allied victory since the fall Of France. Japan soon learned the lesson - to America's cost. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbour on 7th December 1941 dwarfed Taranto, With 19 Warships and 190 aircraft lost and 22,500 dead. Sea power proved crucial in the Pacific. The battle of the Coral Sea was decisive in denying Japan a gateway to Australia and was a naval first - opposing forces, launching air attacks 120 miles apart, were never in sight of each other. After the US strike On Midway, there was no doubting the tide had turned. Leyte Gulf Was the last and greatest sea battle of World War II, leaving the Imperial Fleet all but destroyed. The era of the battleship had long gone: the aircraft carrier was now the undisputed master of naval warfare.

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[SuperAncientmariner]

@wolfgangle Let us get it in context. Britain's war declaration was based on German actions in Poland, (with whom Britain was allied). If Hitler did not want a war with Britain ("I do not wish a war with Great Britain. The British are not our natural enemies" ..Mein Kampf)...all he had to do was pull out of Poland.

[Boozemastersupreme]

@wolfgangle It's called living in close proximity and mutual benefit you fucking shitdick..

[Taff1967SC]

@wolfgangle Are you somehow trying to defend the actions of Germany in the late 30's? You must surely be joking.

[wolfgangle]

Germany and England fought side by side in all previous centuries except the 20 th century, there is a reason for that, it`s called same genetiic heritage

[wolfgangle]

ahem, England declared and started war on Germany, despite Hitler offering piece 20 times, a war of bloodbrothers is a perversion in my humble opinion, it was started by the English vs us and then UK leaned HEAVILY on Russian winter and Russian army vs us, PLUS USA vs us, nothing to brag about, Tommyboys ahem and you know it