For two generations, battleships, sometimes known as all-big-gun ships, represented the military might and pride of their respective countries. They threatened, they impressed, they surprised in a way that no other symbol could, and their presence influenced events for hundreds of miles around. Since today's capital ships are solely platforms for missiles or aircraft, battleships will never be built again. This volume preserves the technical data, design background, and career histories of all the world's battleships and battle cruisers. Organized by nation, type, and class, each battleship is described in detail and illustrated with plans and historic photographs. Ship histories include references to important technical and political developments in the various navies of the world. The book is a revision and expansion of Conway's All the World's Battleships: 1906 to the Present, last published in 1988.