BBC - Heroes and Weapons of WWII

Aircraft Carriers

The crucial part played by aircraft carriers in the war, first developed by the Royal Navy at the end of World War One to supersede battleships. After a successful British carrier-based attack on the Italian fleet, the Japanese resorted to the tactic of wreaking havoc on Pearl Harbour - only to face devastating retaliation from the US, who ended the war in an unrivalled position of maritime dominance.