Combat Ships

At the start of the 20th century, the battleship was the key naval vessel, escorting convoys and overpowering the enemy. But over the course of two world wars, technology raced ahead, drastically changing their role from flagships of the fleet to floating artillery vessels. Revisit some of the mighty battleships greatest triumphs and tragedies and witness tales of heroic acts and daring missions, from the Battle of Jutland to the sinking of the HMS Royal Oak to the D-Day invasion.

In 1944, the fate of Europe depended on an Allied plan to land over 150,000 troops in just 24 hours on the beaches of Normandy. They would arrive on a remarkable armada of vessels, some experimental, some simply dangerous. Join us as we examine the D-Day invasion from the sea, tracing the critical naval operation that transported the troops to shore. We explore the technology behind the diverse and ingenious ships that bravely crossed the English Channel and present firsthand accounts from those who were part of the historic invasion.

In the late 1800s, the invention of the self-propelled torpedo incited a revolution in ship design. Navies needed new vessels to fire them and to defend against them. Enter torpedo boats--fast, lightweight ships that would play a big role in both World Wars. Examine some of these sophisticated speedsters, from the German S-boats, which turned one D-Day rehearsal into a very real battle, the MTB 102, the smallest vessel to ever serve as a Royal Navy flagship, and the PT 109, which made a hero of a young JFK.

In the past two centuries of combat, ships have played a major role in rescuing thousands of people--some injured, some in need of transport, and others fleeing for their lives. Board some of historys most remarkable rescue ships, from the USS Constellation, which hunted down illegal slave ships to the most unlikely rescue ship of World War II, a tiny workboat that saved hundreds of Danish Jews from Nazi terror.

Voyage back to the age when wooden warships were the ultimate fighting machines. From the Mary Rose, one of the first great combat ships, to the HMS Victory, which tattered Napoleons plans of invading Britain in 1805, celebrate historys brave commanders and crews who rode these wooden wonders into battle. Witness how technological advancements in Europe and America led to longer, faster, and more heavily armed vessels.

Over the centuries, longships evolved from swift war canoes to become the preeminent fighting machines of the age. For over 200 years, Vikings depended on these vessels to carry them across the ocean to trade and to plunder. With names such as Surf Dragon and Great Serpent, these ships became part of Viking culture and took on almost magical properties. But what was the secret behind their power? We examine the story of longships and those who built them, a people who were often violent and bloody...but also expert craftsmen.

Throughout the ages, combat ships were built to be fast and deadly, combining clever design, raw firepower and human heroism to carve out glory in battle. But some vessels, let down by bad design or bad luck, would go on to become bywords for failure: from the 16th-century Swedish warship that sank on its maiden voyage, to the Royal Navys HMS Hood--a WWI cruiser with so little armor, she was easily dispatched by Germanys legendary Bismarck. Its a sobering account of the greatest tragedies in naval history.

From the capture of U-505 to the sinking of the Lusitania; from the war games of Gilbert Roberts that man behind the fabled Operation Raspberry," which nullified the threat of German U-boats, to the highly cinematic deception at the heart of the Pentagons capture of a sunken Soviet nuclear sub. Covert missions and secret strategies have been at the heart of naval engagement since the very beginning, often helping pick the winners. Join us on a revealing and highly classified look.

It was a microcosm of naval warfare, involving battleships, carriers, destroyers, submarines, kamikazes, and fighter jets, all embroiled in an epic, three-day battle that marked the beginning of the end to the Pacific War. This is an inside look at the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the thousands of vessels involved, including the largest, most powerful battleships ever built: Japans Musashi and Yamato. We detail the brilliant strategies, heroic acts, stunning decisions, and mighty machines that made this the biggest sea conflict in history.

A look at the game-changers of maritime combat-revolutionary ships and the groundbreaking designers behind them

The Battle of Inchon, an amphibious invasion and conflict within the Korean War, which resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command. It was one of the the riskiest amphibious assaults in history, in one of the worlds most treacherous harbors.

Stories of naval ships that sank below the waves, from veterans who survived during the Falklands War to a hi-tech mission to solve a Second World War mystery.

A new breed of small-but-mighty high-speed torpedo crafts revolutionized naval technology and came to define the bloody battles of World War II.

Larry Chambers makes a risky decision during the Vietnam War. Ernest Evans faces a formidable Japanese fleet during WWII, and enslaved steamship pilot, Robert Smalls, stages a daring escape.

A black Merchant Marine in World War II forces the Navy to desegregate his ship, a teenage slave pressed into Royal Navy service finds himself in the thick of the Seven Years War, and more.

Anti-war sentiment and racial unrest during the Vietnam War spark rebellions at sea, mutineers overthrow Captain Bligh on the HMS Bounty, and a U.S. slave ship revolt ends in triumph.

A look at how technological advances over the centuries have led to bigger and faster combat ships and transformed maritime warfare.