A surviving Yamato and the postwar battleship race

What would have happened to a Yamato-class battleship that survived the Second World War intact?

An American-held ship would probably have been examined and used in nuclear testing, while Soviet capture could have triggered a prestige-driven postwar battleship competition.

The answer treats custody as more important than simple survival. Under American control, the ship would likely be dismantled for study and expended in atomic tests; under Soviet control, its prestige and combat value could push Britain and the United States toward new capital-ship construction. The scenario shows how a captured warship can become both an intelligence prize and a strategic symbol.