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The Most Colossal Battleships Ever Constructed

The Most Colossal Battleships Ever Constructed

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28. Kirov Class

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27. Moltke Class

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26. Florida Class

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25. New York Class

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24. Wyoming Class

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23. Nevada Class

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22. Rivadavia Class

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21. HMS Agincourt Dreadnought

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20. Revenge Class

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19. Ise Class

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18. Pennsylvania Class

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17. Iron Duke Super Dreadnought Class

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16. New Mexico Class

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15. Queen Elizabeth Class Super Dreadnought

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14. Bayern Class

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13. Kongō Class Battlecruiser

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12. Fusō Dreadnought Class

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11. King George V Class

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10. Littorio Class

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9. Nagato Class

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8. South Dakota Class

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7. HMS Hood

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6. North Carolina Class

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5. Richelieu Class

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4. HMS Vanguard

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2. Iowa Class

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1. Yamato Class

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28. Kirov Class
27. Moltke Class
26. Florida Class
25. New York Class
24. Wyoming Class
23. Nevada Class
22. Rivadavia Class
21. HMS Agincourt Dreadnought
20. Revenge Class
19. Ise Class
18. Pennsylvania Class
17. Iron Duke Super Dreadnought Class
16. New Mexico Class
15. Queen Elizabeth Class Super Dreadnought
14. Bayern Class
13. Kongō Class Battlecruiser
12. Fusō Dreadnought Class
11. King George V Class
10. Littorio Class
9. Nagato Class
8. South Dakota Class
7. HMS Hood
6. North Carolina Class
5. Richelieu Class
4. HMS Vanguard
3. Bismarck Class
2. Iowa Class
1. Yamato Class

For centuries, battleships have been symbols of a nation's naval might. These vessels were immense, reaching hundreds of feet in length, displaced tens of thousands of tons, bristled with massive guns, and sheathed with the thickest armor. Within each battleship class, some were larger than others, and nothing could compare to the most colossal battleships ever constructed.

The United States proved its military might between 1907 and 1909 when President Theodore Roosevelt sent the Great White Fleet around the world. Comprised of 16 American battleships, these Atlantic fleet ships were the largest and most powerful flotilla to circle the globe.(Check out one of the biggest naval battles of all time).

In the aftermath of World War I, the world's most powerful nations tried to limit the size of fleets in the Washington Naval Treaty, which restricted capital ships (battleships and battlecruisers) and battleships from exceeding a displacement of 35,000 tons and guns with no more than a 16-inch caliber.

Following violations of the treaty by the French, Italians, and Japanese in the mid-1930s, it was allowed to lapse in 1936, and battleships reached their zenith during World War II. After the war, the battleships' preeminence eventually gave way to aircraft carriers, submarines, and amphibious warships. Not only were they too costly to maintain, but they were also more susceptible to attack from both aircraft and subs.

24/7 Tempo consulted sources including Navy General Board, Largest.org, Militaryfactory, PearlHarbor, and others to compile a list of the biggest battleships ever built, using displacement tonnage as a measure. Note that except for the U.K.'s HMS Agincourt, HMS Hood, and HMS Vanguards, the list is ordered not by individual ship but by battleship class, each including two or more ships with different names.

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