Just a couple of WW2 observations. Yes, incidents like Pearl Harbour, and the over-the-horizon out of gunnery range aeroplane battles of the Pacific pretty much sounded the death nell for big lumbering heavily armed battleships.

Planes revolutioned the pilot ships port to starboard and exchange fire. You know, like in the old days ahhhh me arty.

These days smaller boats like cruisers and destroyers pretty much take up the battleship role. Small, manouverable, fast and still heavily armed with missiles with hundreds and thousands of kilometres of range. Missiles also make redundant the huge firepower of a battleship.

Also submarines made a huge difference. A battleship was highly vulnerable. Aircraft carriers are too, but that is why a battle group based around an aircraft carrier has more ships such as subs, cruisers etc than you can poke a stick at.


Also, the Germans have always maintained they scuttled the Bismark once they lost rudder control.