Greek cities vs. Persian Empire (480 BC) Introduction Salamis (its Greek name) certainly the largest and most decisive naval battles of all times, and is often cited as the most preeminent naval battle of the antiquity. It is often associated in that regard to the sea peoples battles of the bronze age, Actium, Lepanto, Trafalgar, … Read more
Scutting of the Hochseeflotte (1919) And the fate of other Central Empires Navies The arrival of German delegates of the Hochseeflotte on HMS Queen Elisabeth in 1918. The end of the second largest European Navy: Today, 11 November 2018, we remember the sacrifice of an entire generation throughout Europe, four years of a fratricide war … Read more
Greek Navy vs Turkish Ottoman Navy The Battles of the Aegean sea, a prelude to the great war at sea Eight years after Tsushima, and just before the Great war, Mediterranean naval powers clashed upon territorial and sovereignty questions. The Balkans separated from the Turkish Ottoman Empire, already in the XIXth century considered the “sick … Read more
German Navy vs Royal Navy 1st November 1914 Graf Spee’s far east squadron in Valparaiso, Chile, about to sail afte the battle, Nov. 3, 1914 The first British defeat since 100 years Long before the famous 1980s Falklands conflict, the Royal Navy had already crossed fire in this remote corner of the globe. This time … Read more
Japanese vs Chinese Navy, 17 September 1894 The first major naval battle of the industrial era Less well known than Tsushima, the battle of Yalu River is nevertheless one of the few naval battles that occurred at the end of the Century, with relatively modern ships. Other contemporary examples had been the battle of Cuba, … Read more
The white pacific corsair: Her 1914 odyssey would deserve a big budget Hollywood movie*. The truly epic saga of SMS Emden and her crew began shortly after she entered into service in 1909. Sent to subdue the colony of Ponape, one of the Carolinas, she represented there the authority of the Kaiser. By the year 1914, … Read more
British vs German Navy, 28 August 1914 The first major naval battle of ww1 Heligoland in the North Sea is a geological oddity, a block of harsh red cliffs laid in the North Sea. Successively Danish, English, and German, she locked the bay of the same name. Located on the west side of Denmark next … Read more
German Navy 26 August 1914 Mining the Gulf of Finland Odensholm (currently Osmussaar, desolate island of 4.7 kilometers belonging to Estonia – where according to legend, Odin was burned at his funeral) was located 67 km southwest of Tallinn (59°17′30″N 23°23′30″E). By its strategic location, it closed the Gulf of Finland, gateway to the Baltic … Read more
Austro-Hungarian Navy 14 August 1914 A visual of the area and route taken by the Allied ships. Although this engagement was all but fair (a recent dreadnought against an old cruiser) the ultimate result was almost a year round of inactivity for the Austro-Hungarian Navy (K.u.K Kriegsmarine) in the Adriatic The Austro-Hungarians at war The … Read more
