No Washington Naval Treaty; An alternate Word War timeline

1919

Courageous-class battlecruisers, HMS Courageous HMS Glorious and HMS Furious are declared "surplus" (unfit for further duty) right after WW I and mothballed.

1920

The Empire of Japan begins construction on four Amagi-class battlecruisers.

The Soviet Union with the help of Italian engineers begins construction on the Borodino-class battleship.

1921

January

The United States of America begins construction of six Lexington-class battlecruisers.

April

The United States of America begins construction on four South Dakota class battleships which when completed will be the largest, most heavily armed and armored battleships in the United States navy.

October

The Empire of Japan begins construction on four Kii class battleships.

1922

January

The Japanese delegation discovers that the Cypher Bureau, a US intelligence service is spying on the delegations' communications and as a result the Japanese delegation declares that they are no longer taking part in the Washington Naval Conference, which is being held in Washington, D.C., United states of America. This has the result that the French government and the Italian government also call back their own delegations, ending the Washington Naval Conference.

June

The Empire of Japan begins construction on four Shima-class battleships (Number 13-class).

July

United States of America decides to convert the fifth and six Lexington-class battlecruisers already under construction into aircraft carriers.

1923

Attempts by the United States government to hold a new naval conference falls on deaf ears as only the United Kingdom is willing to come back to a new naval conference, as the other three countries (French Republic, Empire of Japan and the Kingdom of Italy) are not trusting a country which was spying on them during the Washington Naval Conference.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">June

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The United Kingdom with the Washington Naval Conference having turned out a disaster and attempts to have another naval conference having failed begin construction of the first of three Saints-class battlecruisers (modified G3 class battlecruiser).

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">November

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Due the Great Kanto Earthquake in September the third and fourth Shima class battleships are scrapped due to damage they suffered. This leaves only the first and second Shima class battleships to enter into service with the Imperial Japanese navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Amagi-class battlecruiser, Amagi is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">December

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Amagi-class battlecruiser, Akagi is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy.

1924

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">February

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">South Dakota-class battleship, USS South Dakota is commissioned into the United States Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">March

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">United Kingdom begins construction on the second and third Saints-class battlecruisers which will be named Saint Patrick and Saint Lucia.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">April

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">South Dakota-class battleship, USS Indiana is commissioned into the United States Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">August

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Lexington-class battlecruiser, USS Lexington is commissioned into the United States Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">September

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Lexington-class battlecruiser, USS Constellation is commissioned into the United States Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The French Republic begins construction on the first of two Duquesne-class heavy cruisers.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">November

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Lexington-class battlecruiser, USS Saratoga is commissioned into the United States Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Using the material of third and fourth Shima-class battleships who were scrapped due damage suffered during the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. The Empire of Japan begins construction of one Suruga-class battleship (Improved version of the Shima class battleship).

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Kii-class battleship, Kij is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">December

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Lexington-class battlecruiser, USS Ranger is commissioned into the United States Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Amagi-class battlecruisers, Atago and Takao are commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy.

1925 <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The last two South Dakota-class battleships, USS Montana and USS North Carolina are commissioned into the United States Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Borodino-class battleship, Borodino is commissioned into the Soviet Navy.

<span class="postbody" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">First Java-class cruiser is commissioned, HNLMS Java is the first of four Java-class cruiser to be commissioned with the Royal Netherlands Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">March

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The French Republic begins construction on the second Duquesne-class heavy cruiser which will be called Tourville.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Kii-class battleship, Awa is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy.

1926

<span class="postbody" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Second Java-class cruiser is commissioned with the Royal Netherlands Navy and is called HNLMS Sumatra.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The French Republic begins construction on the first of four Colbert-class heavy cruisers.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Shima-class battleship Shima is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Kii-class battleship, Owari is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy.

1927

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Saints class battlecruiser, HMS Saint Andrew is commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<span class="postbody" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Royal Netherlands Navy third Java-class cruiser is commissioned, and is called HNLMS Celebes.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">January

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Shima-class battleship, Tango is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">August

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Constitution-class aircraft carrier (converted Lexington-class battlecruisers) USS Constitution is commissioned into the United States Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">October

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Constitution-class aircraft carrier, USS United States is commissioned into the United States Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Kii-class battleship, Osumi is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy.

1928

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Saints-class battlecruisers, HMS Saint Patrick and HMS Saint Lucia are commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Suruga-class battleship, Suruga is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese navy.

<span class="postbody" style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Royal Netherlands Navy fourth and last Java-class cruiser is commissioned and is called HNLMS Borneo.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">December

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The Duquesne-class heavy cruisers, Duquesne and Tourville are commissioned into the French Navy.

1929

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Germany begins construction on the three Deutschland class cruisers.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">November

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The French Republic begins construction on the fourth Colbert-class heavy cruiser which will be called Suffren.

1930

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The Soviet Union with the help of the French Republic begins converting the old Soviet gunboat Krasnoye Znamya into the Soviet navy's first attempt of operating an aircraft carrier. The Krasnoye Znamya will when entering into service by used mainly as a training ship to acquaint aviators, commanders, and deck crew personnel with flight operations.

1931

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Suffren-class heavy cruiser, Suffren is commissioned into the French Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">March

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The French Republic begins construction on the first of two Algérie-class heavy cruisers. The building of the Algérie-class heavy cruisers for the French navy is in responds to the four Zara class heavy cruisers being built for the Italian Royal Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Suffren-class heavy cruiser, Colbert is commissioned into the French Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">August

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Suffren-class heavy cruiser, Foch is commissioned into the French Navy.

1932

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The Kingdom of the Netherlands begins construction on two of a planned four Eendracht-class battlecruisers who are going to be deployed in the Netherlands East Indies.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">October

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Germany begins construction of the third and last Deutschland-class cruiser which will be called Admiral Graf Spee.

1933

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">April

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Deutschland-class cruiser, KMS Deutschland is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">June

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The Soviet navy first aircraft carrier Krasnoye Znamya enters into service with the Soviet navy and will be operated in the Black Sea.

1934

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">April

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The Republic of Poland begins construction on two Generał Kazimierz Pułaski-class battlecruiserss for the Polish Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">July

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The Kingdom of the Netherlands begins construction on the third and fourth Eendracht-class battlecruisers.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Suffren-class heavy cruiser, Dupleix is commissioned into the French Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">September

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Algérie-class heavy cruiser, Algérie is commissioned into the French Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Germany begins construction of the first of three Pommern-class heavy cruisers.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">October

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The kingdom of Italy begins construction on two of a planned four Vittorio Veneto-class battleships.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">November

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Deutschland-class cruiser, KMS Admiral Scheer is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Germany begins construction on two Graf Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers.

1935

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">March

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Under the new 5-year plan the Soviet Union begin construction on their first true aircraft carrier which will when be completed the second aircraft carrier to enter into service in the Soviet navy and will be deployed with the Baltic fleet.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">May

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Algérie-class heavy cruiser, Tunis is commissioned into the French Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">June

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The kingdom of Italy begins converting the Zara class heavy cruiser, RN Pola into an aircraft carrier.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Germany begins construction on two Scharnhorst-class battleships.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">July

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Germany begins construction of the first of five Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruisers.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">August

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">With the Kingdom of the Netherlands already building four Eendracht-class battlecruisers, the Netherlands government demands an aircraft-capable ship for the far-flung islands of the Netherlands East Indies. Instead of building a new ship it is decided to convert the third Eendracht class battlecruiser into a heavily-armed "flight-deck cruiser".

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">September

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The kingdom of Italy begins construction on the third Vittorio Veneto-class battleship which will be called Roma.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">November

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The French Republic begins construction of the first of two Joffre-class aircraft carriers for the French Navy.

1936

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Courageous-class battlecruisers, HMS Courageous and HMS Glorious who had been mothballed sins 1919 are modernized with some superstructure upgrade, new anti-aircraft guns, and a clipper" bow. When completed the Courageous class battlecruisers where reclassified as light battlecruisers.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">January

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Deutschland-class cruiser, KMS Admiral Graf Spee is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">March

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The French Republic begins construction on two lengthened and strengthened Dunkerque-class battleships which are called the Lorraine-class battleships.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">May

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The kingdom of Italy begins construction on fourth and last of the Vittorio Veneto-class battleships which will be called Impero.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">June

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The French Republic begins construction of the first of two Côte d'Azur-class heavy cruisers.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">July

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The Soviet Union begins construction of four Sovetsky Soyuz class battleships.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Germany begins construction of two Bismarck-class battleships.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">November

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Eendracht-class battlecruiser, HNLMS Eendracht is commissioned into the Royal Netherlands Navy.

1937

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Germany begins converting the second Pommern-class heavy cruiser being built into an aircraft carrier.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Adolf Hitler disenchanted with the "armored cruiser" concept for sea raiders orders the German Kriegsmarine to build a more powerful armored ship. These resulted in the Hindenburg class battlecruiser.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">January

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">United Kingdom begins construction on five King George V-class battleships to be commissioned with the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">February

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Eendracht-class battlecruiser, HNLMS Kijkduin is commissioned into the Royal Netherlands Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">March

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The Empire of Japan begins construction on two Yamato-class battleships.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">April

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Germany begins construction on the first of two Führer-class battleships which is basically an enlarge Bismarck class battleship.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">June

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The French Republic begins building the second Côte d'Azur-class heavy cruiser which will be called Côte d'Emeraude.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">November

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">United Kingdom begins construction on two modified illustrious-class aircraft carrier called the Indomitable class aircraft carrier.

1938

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">March

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The kingdom of Italy completes its conversion of the Zara-class heavy cruiser RN Pola into an aircraft carrier. Now called RN Falco (falcon), it is the first aircraft carrier in the Italian Royal Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">May

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Scharnhorst-class battleship, KMS Gneisenau is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">June

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The Empire of Japan begins construction on the third and fourth Yamato-class battleships.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">November

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Pommern-class heavy cruiser, KMS Pommern is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">December

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Germany begins construction of the second Führer-class battleship which will be called Friedrich der Große.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">United Kingdom begins construction on four Lion-class battleships to be commissioned with the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

1939

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">January

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Scharnhorst-class battleship, KMS Scharnhorst is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Lorraine-class battleship, Lorraine is commissioned into the French Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">February

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The Imperial Japanese Navy ordered the third and fourth partially-constructed Yamato-class battleships to be converted to aircraft carriers while on the slipways. As they are not intended to have an air complement of their own they will instead be used to replenish planes from other, more vulnerable carriers, and their armored decks will provide more landing spaces for displaced aircraft and some shelter from bombs.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">April

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser, KMS Admiral Hipper is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">May

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The flight deck battlecruiser HNLMS Gouden Leeuw originally of the Eendracht-class battlecruiser is commissioned into the Royal Netherlands Navy. Equipped with short flight deck and hangar and large-caliber guns to defend it is capable of carrying 12 Buffalo fighters and 12 Bison (modified Buffalo fighter) dive-bombers.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">June

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">French Navy, Joffre-class aircraft carrier, Joffre is commissioned into the French navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">July

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Generał Kazimierz Pułaski-class battlecruiser, ORP Generał Kazimierz Pułaski is commissioned into the Polish Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">United States Congress approves the two-ocean navy bill which will allow the building of five Massachusetts-class battleships and six Iowa-class battleships. Construction on two Massachusetts-class battleships and two Iowa-class battleships begins not soon after the approval of the two-ocean navy bill.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Converted Pommern-class heavy cruiser, KMS Potsdam who is now capable of carrying a 12 Junkers Ju-87D "Stuka" dive-bombers is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Augusts

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser, KMS Prinz Eugen is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On August 21st Deutschland-class cruiser, KMS Admiral Graf Spee departed the German naval base of Wilhelmshaven and heads towards the Atlantic Ocean.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Aircraft carrier, KMS Potsdam and heavy cruiser, KMS Pommern leave Germany and begin heading towards the Atlantic Ocean.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">September

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On September 1st Germany invaded the Republic of Poland. Two days later the French Republic and the United Kingdom who had pacts with Poland declared war on Germany.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Generał Kazimierz Pułaski-class battlecruiser, ORP Generał Kazimierz Pułaski who was at in port in Danzig (Gdańsk) was caught by Kriegsmarine batleschips KMS Scharnhorst, KMS Schleswig-Holstein and heavy cruiser KMS Deutschland off Gdansk in the opening moments of the war. ORP Generał Kazimierz Pułaski was sunk in a shower of shells, but not before she manages to hit KMS Scharnhorst.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser, KMS Blücher is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">October

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On October 6th the Republic of Poland surrenders to Germany.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic ocean a slow moving convoy escorted by Revenge-class battleship, HMS Ramillies is sighted and engaged by aircraft carrier, KMS Potsdam and heavy cruiser, KMS Pommern. In the battle HMS Ramillies is sunk but the appearances of Saints class battlecruiser, HMS Saint Lucia forces the two German warships to turn and flee.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">November

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Graf Zeppelin-class aircraft carrier, KMS Graf Zeppelin is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">December

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On December 13th a British Royal Navy taskforce consisting of the heavy cruisers, HMS Saint Lucia and HMS Exeter and the light cruisers HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles, find and engage the Deutschland-class cruiser, KMS Admiral Graf Spee which sins September 26th was conducting commerce raiding in the South Atlantic. In the Battle of the River Plate that followed the KMS Admiral Graf Spee is sunk with all hands onboard.

1940

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">January

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The kingdom of Italy begins construction on an enlarged Vittorio Veneto-class battleship which will be called Impero Romano.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">March

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">French Navy, Joffre-class aircraft carrier Painleve begins her sea trails out of Toulon, Mediterranean Sea. Her sister ship Joffre is in the Arabian Sea searching for German surface raiders. <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Sovetsky Soyuz-class battleship, Sovietski Soyuz is commissioned into the Soviet Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">April

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Vittorio Veneto class battleship, RN Vittorio Veneto is commissioned into the Italian Royal Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On April 9th, Germany invades Denmark and Norway. Also on this day the Admiral Hipper class heavy cruiser, KMS Blücher is sunk by coastal fortress in Oslofjord, Norway.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On April 10th 16 Blackburn Skua dive bombers of the British Fleet Air Arm launched from RNAS Hatston, Orkney scored three direct hits on K-class cruiser, KMS Königsberg which was transporting troops from Wilhelmshaven to Bergen, Norway. The result of the aerial attack is that the cruiser capsizing and sank in Bergen harbor, Norway.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">May

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On May 5th Germany invades the Kingdom of the Netherlands, kingdom of Belgium, French Republic and Luxemburg.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On May 6th the fourth Eendracht-class battlecruiser is scuttled at Rotterdam to prevent her from falling into German hands.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On May 6th the Vittorio Veneto-class battleship, RN Littorio is commissioned into the Italian Royal Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On May 10th the Kingdom of the Netherlands surrenders to Germany.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On May 28th the Kingdom of Belgium surrenders to Germany.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">June

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Having already one aircraft carrier in service with the Italian Royal Navy, work begins on converting the transatlantic liner Roma into an aircraft carrier.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The incomplete Côte d'Azur-class heavy cruiser, Côte d'Emeraude is demolished on the stocks in Brest in order to prevent here from falling in the hands of the approaching Germans.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The almost-complete Lorraine class battleship, Alsace which is still under construction in Brest Naval base is unable to be made ready for sea in time and the French Navy not wanting to see here falling in the hands of the approaching Germans detonate her magazines which has as result that she sinks to the bottom of Brest naval base.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Côte d'Azur-class heavy cruiser, Côte d'Azur, which has just been completed in Toulon escapes to North Africa at the same time as the Germans enter Paris. During her journey towards North Africa she encounters Joffre class aircraft carrier, Painleve who she escorts to their destination where they join the Free France Navy which is forming in Alexandria, Egypt.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On June 22th the French Republic surrenders to the German and an armistice is signed between France and Germany ending the battle of France.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The United States of America begins construction the third and fourth Iowa-class battleships.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">July

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On July 10th Marshal Philippe Pétain proclaimed the Vichy French government following the military defeat of France by Germany. This resulted that the French navy is split into the Vichy French navy and a British allied Free French navy based out of Alexandria, Egypt.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On July 13rd A British-Free French naval task force consisting of the battleships HMS Valiant and HMS Resolution, British battlecruiser HMS Saint Andrew, aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, Free French navy aircraft carrier, Painleve and heavy cruiser, Côte d'Azur attacked and heavily damaged several French ships at the port of Mers-el-Kébir in French Algeria who refused to join the Free French navy based out of Alexandria, Egypt. In the attack on Mers-el-Kébir the Vichy French battleships Provence, Bretagne and battlecruiser Strasbourg are damaged in the attack.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On July 14th in responds to the British-Free French attack on Mers-el-Kébir, Vichy French bombers operating from Vichy French North Africa attack Gibraltar damaging Saints class battlecruiser, HMS Saint Andrew in retribution of it being part of the attack on attack on Mers-el-Kébir.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On July 15th aircraft carrier, Joffre at anchor in Diego Suarez harbor is informed on the attack on Mers-el-Kébir. The captain of the Joffre is given a choice by the British to join the Free French navy in Alexandria, Egypt, ore to be interned, the captain decides to join the Free French navy after being informed that Joffre sister ship, Painleve has already joined the Free France Navy in Alexandria, Egypt and even took part in the attack on Mers-el-Kébir.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On July 16th Lorraine class battleship, Lorraine is interred in Ceylon after refusing to join the Free France Navy in Alexandria, Egypt.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The United States of America begins construction on the third, fourth and fifth Massachusetts-class battleships.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Construction on the fourth and last Sovetsky Soyuz class battleship is s suspended when it is discovered that 70,000 rivets used in her hull plating are of inferior quality.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Augusts

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Bismarck-class battleship, KMS Bismarck is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Sovetsky Soyuz-class battleship, Sovetskaya Ukraina is commissioned into the Soviet Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">September

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On September 23th a British attempt to capture the strategic port of Dakar in French West Africa which was under Vichy French control, and to install the Free French under General Charles de Gaulle there resulted in the naval battle of Dakar when British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, battleships HMS Barham, HMS Resolution, heavy cruisers HMAS Australia, HMS Cumberland, HMS Devonshire and escorts engaged the Vichy French battleships Richelieu, Dunkerque , light cruisers , Georges Leygues, Montcalm and escorts. In the naval battle of Dakar the Dunkerque-class battleship, Dunkerque is sunk, however the British and Free French fail to take control of Vichy controlled French West Africa.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">October

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The fourth Sovetsky Soyuz-class battleship construction is canceled after when it was discover in July that rivets used in her hull plating where of inferior quality.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Lion class battleship, HMS Lion is commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">November

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Courageous-class light battlecruisers, HMS Courageous and HMS Glorious escorting the Free French Joffre class aircraft carrier, Painleve are during the hunt for German and Italian surface raiders in the Mid-Atlantic Italian attacked by an carrier force consisting of aircraft carrier, RN Falco , Zara class heavy cruisers , RN Zara ,RN Fiume and RN Gorizia. In the naval battle of the Azores which followed the two British light battlecruisers and the French aircraft carrier managed to sink the Italian heavy cruiser, RN Gorizia and aircraft carrier, RN Falco before the British and French broke of their engagement as they were still outnumbered and had themselves achieve damage. Considered a British-Free French victory the British figured the Italian Atlantic foray could not be sustained with them having suffered those losses, and indeed the Italians turned back into the Mediterranean not soon after losing the naval battle of the Azores.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">December

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">King George V-class battleship, HMS King George V is commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Graf Zeppelin-class aircraft carrier, KMS Peter Strasser is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Despite having achieved a victory in the naval battle of the Azores, the British Royal Navy decides that with the U-boat threat being so great, to re-built the Courageous-class light battlecruisers into aircraft carriers along the lines of a modernized Furious.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The Soviet Union's first purpose-built aircraft carrier named Krasnaya Ploshchad (Krasnaya is the "feminine" of "red", "Ploshchad" is "square") which construction began in 1935 is completed. The second Soviet navy aircraft carrier is designed to be used as a scout for the Soviet Baltic fleet with her aircraft and fight smaller ships, if need be.

1941

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">January

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Hindenburg-class battlecruiser, KMS Hindenburg is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Lorraine-class battleship, Lorraine joins the Free French navy becoming the flagship of the Free French Mediterranean Fleet based out of Alexandria, Egypt.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">German battleships KMS Scharnhorst and KMS Gneisenau depart Kiel to begin commerce raiding in the Atlantic Ocean.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">February

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Bismarck-class battleship, KMS Tirpitz is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">March

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">King George V-class battleship, HMS Prince of Wales is commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Vittorio Veneto-class battleships, RN Impero is commissioned into the Italian Royal Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Sovetsky Soyuz-class battleship, Sovetskaya Ukraina is commissioned into the Soviet Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">German battleships KMS Scharnhorst and KMS Gneisenau return to Brest having sunk or captured 16 merchant ships.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The Indefatigable-class battlecruiser, HMAS Australia is called out to search for a German heavy cruiser reportedly raiding the Arabian Sea. After a couple of days she received a distress signal from a British merchant ship that had been spotted and engage by a German raider. HMAS Australia met up with Scheer, and a battle began. The 30 year old battlecruiser however lacked the speed and explosive firepower which Admiral Scheer posed and also lacked the ranging radar that enabled quick acquisition of the target. Scheer's high volume of radar-directed fire created near-misses early in the engagement. And despite Australia managed to smashed Scheer's radar apparatus, Scheer managed to hit Australia amidships simultaneously with two shells from one salvo, breaking her in two and as result sinking the flagship of the Royal Australian navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">April

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Führer-class battleship, KMS Führer is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine <u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Sovetsky Soyuz-class battleship, Sovetskaya Rossiya is commissioned into the Soviet Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">May

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Germany begins to the conversion of the transport ship Europa into an aircraft carrier which when completed will be longer than two Graf Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers (KMS Graf Zeppelin and KMS Peter Strasser).

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On May 18th, a German taskforce consisting of battleship, KMS Bismarck, battlecruiser, KMS Hindenburg, heavy cruisers, KMS Admiral Hipper and KMS Prinz Eugen begin their mission to attack Allied traffic in the North Atlantic.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On May 22nd a British battle-group comprising battleship HMS King George V and the battlecruisers HMS Hood and HMS Saint Andrew find and engage the German taskforce and in the first battle of the Denmark Strait, HMS Saint Andrew is sunk by the German taskforce. However shells fired from HMS King George V manage to damage KMS Bismarck before both sides disengage.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On May 25th the German taskforce splits with KMS Hindenburg and KMS Admiral Hipper continuing to attack allied ships while KMS Prinz Eugen will escort the damaged KMS Bismarck back to German-occupied France.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On May 27th A British force consisting of the battleships HMS King George V and HMS Nelson, aircraft carriers, HMS Victorious and HMS Ark Royal, heavy cruisers, HMS Norfolk and HMS Suffolk find the crippled KMS Bismarck and here escort KMS Prinz Eugen and sink them, ending the second Battle of the Denmark Strait.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">June

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Battlecruiser, KMS Hindenburg and heavy cruiser KMS Admiral Hipper detached from the Bismarck sortie began attacking convoy routes off the Cape. They were joined by Vichy French cruisers, Jean de Vienne and Marseillaise who helped to destroy the British heavy cruiser HMS Devonshire in the naval battle of French West Africa.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On June 22nd Germany begins a massive military operation against the Soviet Union.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On June 27th the Soviet Union's navy aircraft carrier named Krasnaya Ploshchad and here escort depart Leningrad naval base on here first sortie into the Baltic sea.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The United States of America begins construction the fifth and sixth Iowa class battleships.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">July

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">After winning the naval battle of French West Africa, battlecruiser, KMS Hindenburg and heavy cruiser KMS Admiral Hipper fought their way into the Mediterranean Sea where KMS Admiral Hipper was torpedoed by a British torpedo bomber operating from Gibraltar forcing here to turn turned back and to limp towards Brest for repairs while KMS Hindenburg continued its journey and managed to join the Italian Royal Navy fleet.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On July 3rd the Deutschland class battleship, KMS Schlesien and her sister’s ship KMS Schleswig-Holstein on patrol in the Baltic are discovered by the Krasnaya Ploshchad's aircraft who manage to cripple the KMS Schlesien and force the two battleships to retreat. Unfortunately, a reconnaissance plane from the Graf Zeppelin-class aircraft carrier, KMS Peter Strasser shadowing the Krasnaya Ploshchad directed dive-bombers and torpedo-bombers from the KMS Peter Strasser towards and after suffering few too many torpedoes hits, Krasnaya Ploshchad was sunk.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Augusts

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Admiral Hipper class heavy cruiser, KMS Lützow is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Vittorio Veneto class battleship, RN Roma is commissioned into the Italian Royal Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">October

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Indomitable class aircraft carrier, HMS Indomitable is commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">In the naval battle of Tyrrhenian Sea, German battlecruiser KMS Hindenburg, Italian battleships RN Littorio and RN Andrea Doria find a British convoy led by Lion class battleship, HMS Lion and mage to sink here. <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Shinano class aircraft carrier, Shinano (converted Yamato class battleship) is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">November

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">King George V-class battleship, HMS Duke of York is commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Indomitable-class aircraft carrier, HMS Insuperable is commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">December

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On December 4th the United States Navy aircraft carrier USS enterprise enters into the United States naval base Pearl Harbor.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On December 5th the Indomitable class aircraft carrier, HMS Indomitable ran aground on a coral reef near Jamaica, The British royal navy decided to send her sister ship HMS Insuperable to accompany battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruisers HMS Repulse and HMS Hood to Singapore. On December 10th the Japanese 22nd Air Flotilla send to sink Force Z was spotted by radar aboard HMS Insuperable enabling her fighters to intercept many of the slow, lumbering, unescorted bombers, but there were too many Japanese bombers and torpedoes or bombs managed to hit every ship in Force Z. however force Z was able to limp into Singapore a couple of days later.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On December 6th Constitution class aircraft carrier, USS Constitution is only one day away before arriving at Hawaii. Most of her fighter aircraft have already left for Hawaii.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On December 7th the Japanese aircraft carriers Kaga, Sōryū, Hiryū, Shōkaku, Zuikaku and Shinano torpedo and bomber planes strike at the United States naval base Pearl Harbor sinking the aircraft carrier USS enterprise and the battleships USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On December 9th two day after the attack on Pearl Harbor which sank the United States Navy aircraft carrier USS enterprise and two battleships, three cruisers and three destroyers. The scout planes belonging to Constitution class aircraft carrier, USS Constitution find and located the six Japanese aircraft carriers but as it has no torpedo ore bomber planes onboard and under strict orders not to engage it is force to let the six Japanese aircraft carriers alone.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Yamato-class battleship, Yamato is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy.

1942

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">January

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On January 4th Eendracht-class battlecruiser, HNLMS Eendracht departs Batavia to join the British Force Z still operating out of Singapore when members of the Indonesian independence movement who are promise by the Japanese to get control of the Netherlands East Indies when the Netherlands are driven out, radioed her position to the Japanese. Within hours, dive bombers from the imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Ryujo found the lonely battlecruiser and managed to sink here putting one of the biggest guns in the royal Netherlands navy on the ocean floor.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On January 5th with the Imperial Japanese Army almost at the outskirts of Singapore, HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruisers HMS Repulse and HMS Hood are given the order to move to the safely of Ceylon. As aircraft carrier, HMS Insuperable had left Singapore a day earlier it meant that Force Z would have to sail without air cover. Not known to Force Z the Imperial Japanese Navy had assembled a battle-group who prime mission it was to engage and sink Force Z. In the Singapore Strait the three British ships were intercepted by the Japanese battleships, Suruga and Owari and battlecruisers, Atago and Takao. In the naval battle of the Singapore Strait that followed all three British warships where send to the bottom of the ocean.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">February

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On February 4th a American-British-Dutch-Australian-French (ABDAF) fleet consisted of the flight deck battlecruiser, HNLMS Gouden Leeuw , Eendracht-class battlecruiser , HNLMS Kijkduin (flagship) , cruisers HNLMS De Ruyter, HNLMS Tromp, USS Houston and USS Marblehead escorted by seven destroyers ,HNLMS Banckert, HNLMS Piet Hein, HNLMS Van Ghent, USS Barker, USS Bulmer, USS Edwards, and USS Stewart are on its way to intercept a Japanese invasion convoy bound for Surabaya, is attacked by 36 Japanese Mitsubishi G4M1 "Betty" and 24 Mitsubishi G3M2 "Nell" medium bombers. In the Battle of Makassar Strait as is called the 12 Buffalo fighters from HNLMS Gouden Leeuw flying cover for the fleet and the anti-aircraft of the ships below mange to destroy eight Japanese bombers while only the cruiser USS Houston suffering damage.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On February 19th an ABDAF fleet consisted of battlecruiser, HNLMS Kijkduin (flagship), cruisers HNLMS De Ruyter and HNLMS Tromp, HNLMS Java and the destroyers USS John D. Ford, Pope, and HNLMS Piet Hein sighted Japanese convoy consisting of four destroyers and two transports in the Badung Strait and opened fire at them. In the Battle of Badung Strait that followed the Japanese convoy suffered one transport sunk and two destroyers damaged from fire coming from HNLMS Kijkduin forcing the Japanese convoy to retreat and preventing a Japanese invasion of Bali.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On February 27th a ABDAF fleet consisted of flight deck battlecruiser, HNLMS Gouden Leeuw, battlecruiser, HNLMS Kijkduin (flagship), heavy cruisers HMS Exeter, USS Houston, light cruisers (HNLMS De Ruyter, HNLMS Java, HMAS Perth, USS Marblehead), and destroyers (HMS Electra, HMS Encounter, HMS Jupiter, HNLMS Kortenaer, HNLMS Witte de With, USS Alden, USS John D. Edwards, USS John D. Ford, and USS Paul Jones) attacked a Japanese amphibious forces gathered to strike at the island of Java. The Japanese amphibious force consisted of the heavy cruisers (Nachi and Haguro) and light cruisers (Naka and Jintsu) and destroyers (Yudachi, Samidare, Murasame, Harusame, Minegumo, Asagumo, Yukikaze, Tokitsukaze, Amatsukaze, Hatsukaze, Yamakaze, Kawakaze, Sazanami, and Ushio).In the seven hour long naval battle of the Java Sea that followed the ABDAF fleet suffered the loss of the light cruiser (HNLMS Java), two destroyers (HMS Jupiter, HNLMS Kortenaer) while the Japanese suffered the loss of one light cruiser (Jintsu) ,two destroyers and eight transports being sunk.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">March

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Lion-class battleships, HMS Temeraire and HMS Conqueror are commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On April 4th the aircraft carriers, HMS Insuperable and HMS Hermes are sunk by massive air attacks from the Japanese aircraft carriers Ryūjō, Hiryū, Sōryū, Shōkaku and Zuikaku in the battle of the Indian Ocean.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">April

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">KMS Seydlitz is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine. Originally to be the fourth Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser she looks like a Hipper class except for having a flight deck and lack of rear turrets. KMS Seydlitz is designed to be a lone commerce raider or a fleet scout with her four radar-directed heavy guns and Arado 196 scout-bombers.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">King George V-class battleship, HMS Anson is commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">July

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">United Kingdom begins construction on two Malta-class aircraft carriers to be commissioned with the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Führer-class battleship KMS Friedrich der Große is commissioned into the German Kriegsmarine.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">August

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">King George V-class battleship, HMS Howe is commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Yamato-class battleship, Musashi is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Soviet Navy Borodino-class battleship, Borodino sinks the Führer class battleship KMS Friedrich der Große. Two days later the German Seeluftstreitkrafte (Naval Air Arm of the Kriegsmarine) deploying all available See Stukas and Heinkel He-211 heavy bombers managed to sin Borodino at her moorings revenging the loss of the Friedrich der Große.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">September

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier I as KMS Europa is called is commissioned into the Kriegsmarine, taking onboard 18 Junkers Ju-87D "Stuka" dive-bombers and 24 Bf 109G fighters who are operated by the Seeluftstreitkrafte (Naval Air Arm of the Kriegsmarine) she begin here mission to divert Allied naval resources away from their Arkangelsk-bound convoys.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">December

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Second-Shinano class aircraft carrier, Aratama (converted Yamato class battleship) is commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Navy.

1943

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Massachusetts-class battleship, USS Massachusetts is commissioned into the United States navy, followed soon by USS Ohio. While USS Massachusetts is sent to the Atlantic to escort Allied convoys heading towards Archangelsk, Soviet Union, USS Ohio is deployed to the Pacific.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">February

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Now reclassified as Courageous-class aircraft carrier, HMS Courageous is commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Iowa-class battleship, USS Iowa is commissioned into the United States navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">April

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The kingdom of Italy completes construction on the Impero Romano-class battleship (enlarged Vittorio Veneto class battleship) RN Impero Romano.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">May

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">The kingdom of Italy completes the aircraft carrier, RN Aquila (Eagle), it is the first aircraft carrier to enter into the service with the Italian Royal Navy sins the destruction of aircraft carrier, RN Falco in the naval battle of the Azores in November 1940.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Last of the four Lion class battleship, HMS Thunderer is commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Iowa-class battleship, USS New Jersey is commissioned into the United States navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">June

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Courageous-class aircraft carrier, HMS Glorious is commissioned into the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On June 23rd the Imperial Japanese Navy Shinano-class aircraft carries Shinano and Aratama sorting from Truk, in the Carolines, in order to disrupt the Allied invasion of New Georgia are involved in lucky American air strike when a B-17 bomber manages to "walk" a string of 500-lb bombs diagonally across the Aratama armored flight deck.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">July

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">After completing here sea trails, Führer class battleship, KMS Führer is sent to rest in Tromsø's fjord, German-occupied Norway where she waits for an Allied convoy to appear. KMS Führer together with heavy cruisers, KMS Pommern and K-Class cruiser, KMS Köln and Leipzig-class cruiser, KMS Leipzig find an Allied convoy who is escorted by Massachusetts-class battleship, USS Massachusetts, Saint-class battlecruiser, HMS Saint Andrew, King George V-class battleships, HMS Duke of York and HMS Howe. In battle of the Norwegian Sea that followed the four German warships mange to sink USS Massachusetts and HMS Duke of York. When it appeared that KMS Führer and here escorts are about to make their escape a salvo from HMS Saint Andrew managed to hit KMS Führer and sink here ending the battle of the Norwegian Sea.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">September

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On September 3rd the Italian government of Pietro Badoglio signs an unconditional armistice with the Allies.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On September 8th all Italian Royal Navy ships are as part of the surrendering conditions begin to set course towards the British controlled island of Malta in order to prevent them falling in the hands of the Germans.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On September 9th with the Impero Romano-class battleship RN Impero Romano leading a large group of Italian warships consisting of the Vittorio Veneto class battleships, RN Roma, RN Vittorio Veneto, RN Littorio, RN Roma , four light cruisers and eight destroyers are attacked by German Do-217K bombers in which RN Impero Romano is hit by a "Fritz-X" guided bomb. However RN Impero Romano does not sink and together with the rest of the ships she manages to reach the safety of the port of Valetta, Malta.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">October

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Courageous-class aircraft carrier, HMS Glorious during here sea trails is caught in a North Sea fogbank, with here planes "grounded", she is surprised and sunk by the German Deutschland class cruiser, KMS Admiral Scheer.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">December

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">On December 22nd the German battleship, KMS Scharnhorst and heavy cruiser, KMS Posen attempted to intercept an Allied Soviet-bound convoy. The British royal navy who had been alerted by the Norwegian resistance of the departure of both German warships had send George V-class battleship HMS Howe and Lion class battleships, HMS Temeraire and HMS Conqueror to intercept them. In the battle of the North Cape that followed KMS Scharnhorst and KMS Posen where sunk.

1944

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Massachusetts-class battleships, USS Maine and USS New Hampshire are commissioned into the United States Navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">April

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">While escorting an Allied convoy, Courageous-class aircraft carrier, HMS Courageous is sunk by a German U-boat wolfpack.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Iowa-class battleship, USS Wisconsin is commissioned into the United States navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">June

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Iowa-class battleship, USS Missouri is commissioned into the United States navy.

1945 <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Malta-class aircraft carrier, HMS Malta is commissioned with the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. Six months later HMS Gibraltar is commissioned.

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Last of the five Massachusetts-class battleship, USS Louisiana is commissioned into the United States navy.

<u style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">March

<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:19px;">Malta-class aircraft carrier, HMS Malta accompanies battleships, HMS Temeraire and HMS Conqueror in a sweep of the Norwegian Sea in a search for German Kriegsmarine heavy units. However no German Kriegsmarine heavy unit is found. As result HMS Malta is sent immediately through the Mediterranean Sea to Ceylon to battle the Japanese in the Far East.