About the book: 2004 / The US Navy became one of the first fleets to receive submarines. Several experimental submarines were built for the navy by John Holland at the end of the 19th century. But the Yankees were unable to maintain their priority. By the end of World War I, it was an open secret that American submarines were smaller, slower, less well-armed, and had a limited range than those of any other nation involved in the war. After the end of the First World War, the strategic situation in the world changed dramatically. The USA has become one of the world's superpowers. At the same time, it was obvious to everyone that the Treaty of Versailles would not last long. In a future war, the United States could face only a few serious opponents. But Great Britain was a reliable ally, Soviet Russia was too weakened by the revolution and civil war, its fleet was practically destroyed. There was only one serious enemy left: Japan. The Japanese Empire was a young and dynamically developing state, aggressive towards its neighbors. It seemed that Japan was quickly trying to make up for the time lost over previous centuries. Inevitably, this policy led to conflicts with the old empires that dominated Asia: France, Holland, Great Britain and, finally, the United States. The United States was especially vulnerable because its holdings in the Pacific lay in the direction of Japanese expansion. The Philippines, Guam, Wake and Hawaii were the main obstacles for Japan. The United States hastened to acquire a fleet that could withstand the growing naval power of Japan. Note: Full set of illustrations, arranged as in a printed edition, captions for illustrations in text.