Submarines offers a highly illustrated guide to all the main classes of submarines to be used in naval warfare from the beginning of World War I to the present day. As you will learn throughout the book, the emergence of the submarine in 1914 as a major strategic weapon was swift and unexpected. On September 5th, 1914 a British Light cruiser, HMS Pathfinder, was sunk by a German submarine U-21, becoming the first victim of a free-fired torpedo. The basis of naval warfare had been changed forever. Divided by era, campaign, and country, the book includes sections on; submarine forces in 1914, technical developments during the 1930s, the Atlantic convoy war during World War II, Soviet submarine development during the Cold War, the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines, submarines of the Falklands War, and the latest ICBM carriers. Special emphasis is given to the U-Boats of World War II and arranged flotilla. You will gain a vast knowledge of submarines, as all major models are included, from the World War I-era German U-1 and British F-class, through the Type VII U-boats and US Gato class of World War II, and coming up-to-date with the latest missile submarines, such as HMS Astute, USS Virginia, the Russian Borei class, the Chinese Shang class, and the INS Arihant.