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The evolution of the battleship through centuries of war, told by a nautical expert and author of The Mighty Hood. During its reign from the sixteenth century to the mid-twentieth, the battleship was the most powerful weapon of war known to man. Strategically, it determined a war's outcome. Tactically, it dominated every sea battle. But at the Battle of Taranto in 1940 and the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, carrier-borne aircraft made a decisive display of superiority over the once-mighty battleship. Thus World War II heralded the end of the era of The Great Ship. In The Great Ship, noted naval historian Ernle Bradford traces the evolution of battleships through centuries of conflict and innovation. Selecting one or two ships from each period, Bradford illustrates their use in action and the significant roles they played in the course of history.… (more)
User reviews
The problem with the book is that there are no illustrations – no depictions of the ships or battles being described. Bradford is an excellent writer; his description of Jutland, for example, is as clear and understandable as any I’ve ever seen in print, but a couple of maps would have made it even more clear. Still, a worthwhile book; perhaps it’s a relief to get away from the seemingly endless flood of “coffee table” picture books about military hardware and have one that’s just text.