The maintenance of such an empire-spanning 3,000 miles (4,800 km) from China to Midway Island-required a sizable fleet capable of sustained control of territory. This movement called for the expansion of the Japanese Empire to include much of the Pacific Ocean and Southeast Asia. In the 1930s, the Japanese government began a shift towards ultranationalist militancy. It also agreed that the five countries would not construct more capital ships for ten years and would not replace any ship that survived the treaty until it was at least twenty years old. Along with many other provisions, it limited all future battleships to a standard displacement of 35,000 long tons (36,000 t 39,000 short tons) and a maximum gun caliber of 16 inches (406 mm). The subsequent Washington Naval Conference resulted in the Washington Naval Treaty. and discuss a possible end to the naval arms race. On 8 July 1921, the United States' Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes invited delegations from the other major maritime powers-France, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom-to come to Washington, D.C.
The enormous costs associated with these programs pressured their government leaders to begin a disarmament conference. Īfter the end of the First World War, many navies-including those of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Imperial Japan-continued and expanded construction programs that had begun during the conflict. The design of the Yamato-class battleships was shaped by expansionist movements within the Japanese government, Japanese industrial power, and the need for a fleet powerful enough to intimidate likely adversaries. Shinano was sunk ten days after her commissioning in November 1944 by the submarine USS Archer-Fish, while Yamato was sunk in April 1945 during Operation Ten-Go. Musashi was sunk during the course of the battle by American carrier airplanes. Two battleships of the class ( Yamato and Musashi) were completed, while a third ( Shinano) was converted to an aircraft carrier during construction.ĭue to the threat of American submarines and aircraft carriers, both Yamato and Musashi spent the majority of their careers in naval bases at Brunei, Truk, and Kure-deploying on several occasions in response to American raids on Japanese bases-before participating in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944, as part of Admiral Kurita's Centre Force. The class carried the largest naval artillery ever fitted to a warship, nine 460-millimetre (18.1 in) naval guns, each capable of firing 2,998-pound (1,360 kg) shells over 26 miles (42 km).
Yamato battle group full#
Displacing 72,000 long tons (73,000 t) at full load, the vessels were the heaviest and most powerfully armed battleships ever constructed. The Yamato-class battleships ( 大和型戦艦, Yamato-gata senkan ?) were battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) constructed and operated during World War II. ġ2 Kanpon boilers, driving 4 steam turbinesįour 3-bladed propellers, 6 m (19 ft 8 in) diameterħ,200 nautical miles 16 knots (13,300 km 30 km/h) Ħ50 mm (26 in) on face of main turrets Ĥ10 mm (16 in) side armor (400 mm (16 in) on Musashi), inclined 20 degrees General characteristics as per final plan (A-140F 6)ħ2,000 long tons (73,000 t) full load.
Published in April, 1984, this scenario depicts what might have happened in the action between Admiral Mitscher's battle group and the Yamato's tokko operation.3 (2 battleships, 1 converted to aircraft carrier) Nonessential crew members would join army units defending the island. As long as power lasted they would serve as additional artillery. After sinking as many transports as possible they were to beach themselves on Okinawa. Their object was to cut their way through screening forces until they reached the transports - particularly troop transports. The voyage was intended to be a tokko (kamikaze) operation and only enough fuel for a one way voyage had been provided. On April 5,1945, the Yamato in company with a light cruiser and eight destroyers - the last functional naval units of Japan - began their voyage toward Okinawa. The assault was not unexpected by the Japanese, hence extensive defensive positions had been prepared on the island and plans for naval and air attacks on allied ships had been developed. Historical Notes: On April 1, 1945, allied forces assaulted Okinawa.