The Worst Episodes of Combat Ships

From the capture of U-505 to the sinking of the Lusitania; from the war games of Gilbert Roberts that man behind the fabled 'Operation Raspberry," which nullified the threat of German U-boats, to the highly cinematic deception at the heart of the Pentagon's capture of a sunken Soviet nuclear sub. Covert missions and secret strategies have been at the heart of naval engagement since the very beginning, often helping pick the winners. Join us on a revealing and highly classified look.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

In the 16th century, the Spanish Armada were the reigning maritime superpower, with mighty galleons at their disposal. The English, on the other hand, were the upstarts, opportunistic pirates with inferior ships. Led by buccaneering figures such as Francis Drake and John Hawkins, English ships technology began to catch up, leading to the revolutionary "race-built galleons." In 1588, both sides would meet in battle for the right to be declared rulers of the waves.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

A look at the game-changers of maritime combat-revolutionary ships and the groundbreaking designers behind them

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

A look at naval armaments through history, from cannon armed sailing ships to cutting-edge weapon technology destined for the next generation of combat ships

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

A new breed of small-but-mighty high-speed torpedo crafts revolutionized naval technology and came to define the bloody battles of World War II.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Historians and U.S. military veterans discuss the small and powerful riverboats used to navigate waterways from the shallows of the American South to the winding canals of Vietnam.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

A black Merchant Marine in World War II forces the Navy to desegregate his ship, a teenage slave pressed into Royal Navy service finds himself in the thick of the Seven Years' War, and more.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

American troops' determination to secure a vital airfield and preserve communications lines with Australia leads to a chaotic and deadly night battle in the Pacific theater of World War II.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Anti-war sentiment and racial unrest during the Vietnam War spark rebellions at sea, mutineers overthrow Captain Bligh on the HMS Bounty, and a U.S. slave ship revolt ends in triumph.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

The Navy captures an armed group of Somali pirates, a Coast Guard crew raids a drug-smuggling submarine, and Norwegian civilians in fishing boats outwit the Germans during World War II.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

A look at how technological advances over the centuries have led to bigger and faster combat ships and transformed maritime warfare.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

French surveillance frigate Nivôse executes a plan to capture pirates off the coast of Somalia, and the U.S. retaliates after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor with the help of the USS Hornet.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Over the centuries, longships evolved from swift war canoes to become the preeminent fighting machines of the age. For over 200 years, Vikings depended on these vessels to carry them across the ocean to trade and to plunder. With names such as Surf Dragon and Great Serpent, these ships became part of Viking culture and took on almost magical properties. But what was the secret behind their power? We examine the story of longships and those who built them, a people who were often violent and bloody...but also expert craftsmen.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Experts discuss nautical explosions, including an attack on the USS Westchester County during the Vietnam War, a collision in Canada during WWI and a nuclear test in the Pacific Ocean.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

It was a microcosm of naval warfare, involving battleships, carriers, destroyers, submarines, kamikazes, and fighter jets, all embroiled in an epic, three-day battle that marked the beginning of the end to the Pacific War. This is an inside look at the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the thousands of vessels involved, including the largest, most powerful battleships ever built: Japan's Musashi and Yamato. We detail the brilliant strategies, heroic acts, stunning decisions, and mighty machines that made this the biggest sea conflict in history.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Stories of naval ships that sank below the waves, from veterans who survived during the Falklands War to a hi-tech mission to solve a Second World War mystery.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Explore the dark side of naval warfare--a world of deception, double-dealing, and disguised vessels--throughout the first half of the 20th century. See how Britain's Royal Navy attempted to fool German U-boats through the technique of "dazzle painting," then look at the ingeniously designed Gizmo, an American spy vessel that never made it beyond American waters.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Destroyers and cruisers are the quintessential combat ships, each featuring speed and firepower while carrying out unique roles within a navy. We highlight the similarities and differences of these two warships and share stories of some of the most influential vessels and battles, from the lone-wolf cruiser, HMS Gannet, which became a powerful symbol of the Victorian anti-slavery campaign to the legendary USS Laffey, the World War II destroyer that stared down the largest kamikaze attack in history.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

The Battle of Inchon, an amphibious invasion and conflict within the Korean War, which resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command. It was one of the the riskiest amphibious assaults in history, in one of the world's most treacherous harbors.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Throughout the ages, combat ships were built to be fast and deadly, combining clever design, raw firepower and human heroism to carve out glory in battle. But some vessels, let down by bad design or bad luck, would go on to become bywords for failure: from the 16th-century Swedish warship that sank on its maiden voyage, to the Royal Navy's HMS Hood--a WWI cruiser with so little armor, she was easily dispatched by Germany's legendary Bismarck. It's a sobering account of the greatest tragedies in naval history.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Amphibious vessels: specialized landing craft built to go where no other combat ship can reach and able to deliver tanks, jeeps, soldiers, and supplies to the front lines. We detail some of the greatest ships in the history of amphibious warfare, from the LCT, which dropped the huge Allied fighting force onto the beaches of Normandy in 1944, to the Swift boats that patrolled Vietnam's shores. We also chart the evolution of combat hovercraft, and how the PACVs of the '60s grew to become a mainstay for the U.S. Navy's Assault Craft Units.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

The ships involved in the biggest naval deployments in recent history - Persian Gulf, Iran-Iraq War and Desert Storm.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

In the past two centuries of combat, ships have played a major role in rescuing thousands of people--some injured, some in need of transport, and others fleeing for their lives. Board some of history's most remarkable rescue ships, from the USS Constellation, which hunted down illegal slave ships to the most unlikely rescue ship of World War II, a tiny workboat that saved hundreds of Danish Jews from Nazi terror.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

The Cold War was an era of espionage, treachery, and the flexing of military muscle. Over four decades, the naval capabilities of East and West threatened assured mutual destruction, which helped maintain a tense but stable peace between the superpowers. Witness stories of remarkable humanity and bravery as we examine the period's most fearsome warships and subs and their operations in Cuba, Vietnam, and Soviet waters.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

For centuries, small vessels have made immense contributions in times of war, thanks to the expertise, bravery, and sheer willpower of their designers and crews. Witness David and Goliath stories involving the tiny combat vessels that took on massive battleships and deadly subs. From the short-lived but legendary USS Philadelphia to the gunboat M33, see how ships of war don't have to be large to make history.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A