Britain's last generation of battleships emerged in the 1930s to the backdrop of a fading Empire. Industrial production had fallen sharply since the First World War, and Britain's economic position was poor. These constraints shaped the nature of Britain's last battleships - a continuum of designs that culminated in HMS Vanguard, completed after the war when a near-bankrupt Britain had to confront the reality of a lost empire. These ships have been criticised for being less powerful than many of their contemporaries, ...
Read More
Britain's last generation of battleships emerged in the 1930s to the backdrop of a fading Empire. Industrial production had fallen sharply since the First World War, and Britain's economic position was poor. These constraints shaped the nature of Britain's last battleships - a continuum of designs that culminated in HMS Vanguard, completed after the war when a near-bankrupt Britain had to confront the reality of a lost empire. These ships have been criticised for being less powerful than many of their contemporaries, notably US battleships of the day; but when seen against the background of financial and industrial constraint, they are revealed as being far more capable than history usually gives credit.
Read Less