Q&A · 6:42-7:08

What counted as an advanced interwar battleship

The answer distinguishes the newest ships of the early interwar period from the increasingly modern designs emerging late in the 1930s.

Battleships Interwar Period Italian Navy Nelson Class Battleships US Navy

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Question

Which battleships were most advanced in the interwar period?

Short answer

Nelson and Rodney lead early on, while late-1930s Italian and American designs change the comparison.

Notes

Nelson and Rodney are presented as the most advanced early interwar British battleships largely because they were the newest completed capital ships. By the late 1930s, the comparison changes as the Littorio class and newer American designs embody a new phase of pre-war development.