"Fleets of World War II, packed with data and illustrated throughout, is not a simple list of ships but a fascinating and often critical appraisal of those ships and the navies they served. Japan built the world's largest battleships with guns bigger than anything in the Allied arsenal - but was bigger in fact better? The British engaged in a wartime flurry of ship production - but did they build the ships they needed for victory? Unlike most ship reference books, Fleets of World War II goes beyond the statistics to provide astute, practical analysis." "Every country's fleet - Allied and Axis navies, as well as the fleets of key neutrals - is surveyed in totality, from the mighty battleships to the humble motor launches. The book is organized for easy reference: nation by nation, with each entry offering a straightforward and unapologetic critique. Fleets of World War II dispels the clutter, providing a candid assessment of World War II fleets that is nothing short of revelatory."--Jacket.