The Largest Naval Sea Battles in Military History

The Largest Naval Sea Battles In Military History



A closer look at the largest and most influential naval battles in world history



Ranked according to the number of soldiers involved





7th Battle of Jutland

near Jutland, Denmark

1916

Germany vs. Great Britain



Number of soldiers involved:

100,000



The British Advantage

37:27

In Heavy Units

113:72

In Light Support Aircraft



The only major naval surface engagement of World War I

Winner: Draw



Germany

Battleships: 16

Battlecruisers: 5

Pre-Dreadnoughts: 6

Light Cruisers: 11

Torpedo Boats: 61

Total Ships: 98



Britain

Battleships: 28

Battlecruisers: 9

Armored Cruisers: 8

Light Cruisers: 26

Destroyers: 78

Minelayer: 1

Seaplane: 1

Total Ships: 151



6th Battle of the Philippine Sea

Philippine Sea

1944

United States vs. Japan



Number of soldiers involved:

127,000+ (U.S.)



Known as "the greatest carrier battle of World War II"



On the first day of attack, Japan lost 300 out of 430 planes.

Due to the decisiveness of U.S. victory over the Japanese Imperial Army, it has been called the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot"



Winner: U.S.



United States

Carriers: 15

Battleships: 7

Cruisers: 21

Destroyers: 67

Submarines: 28

Aircraft: 902



Japan

Carriers: 9

Battleships: 5

Cruisers: 13

Destroyers: 33

Submarines: 24

Aircraft:

(Carrier-Based) 450

(Land- Based) 300



5th Battle of Lepanto

Gulf of Corinth, Ionian Sea

1571

Allied Christian Forces vs. Ottoman



Number of soldiers involved: 150,000



The greatest naval battle of oar-driven vessels in the history of the Mediterranean



It was the first defeat of the Ottoman navy in direct confrontation with the Christian forces.



Winner: Allied Christian Forces



Holy League

(Allied Christian Forces)

Galleys: 206



Ottoman

Galleys: 230



4th Battle of Yamen

Yamen, Guangdong, China

1279

Mongol Yuan Dynasty vs. Song Dynasty



Number of soldiers involved:

200,000



Yuan commanders deployed deception and audacious tactics to overcome at least 10:1 mismatch in numbers



Winner: Mongol Yuan Dynasty



Song Dynasty (Southern)

Warships: 1,000

Fact: The Song Dynasty was the first Chinese government that built a permanent standing navy to protect its aquatic and land territory.

During the Yamen Battle, the Song emporer Huaizong was just eight years old.



Yuan Dynasty (Mongol)

Warships: 50



3rd Battle of the Leyte Gulf

Leyte, Philippines

1944

United States vs. Japan



Number of soldiers involved:

200,000



The U.S. invasion of the Philippines reinforces Allied Forces' control of the Pacific during World War II



Fact: The Battle of Leyte Gulf is remembered as the biggest naval battle ever fought.



Winner: U.S.



The battle spanned over more than 100,000 square miles of sea



United States

Ships: 232



Japan

Ships: 53



The Leyte Gulf War consisted of four battles:

Battle of Sibuyan Sea

Battle of Surigao Strait

Battle off Samar

Battle of Cape Engano



2nd Battle of Salamis

Salamis, near Athens

480 B.C.E.

Greeks vs. Persians



Number of soldiers involved:

250,000



Ranked as "one of the most decisive military engagements of all time"

due to impact on emergence of Western civilization as a major force in the world.



Winner: Greeks



Greeks

Ships: 1,207



Persians

Ships: 371



1st Battle of the Red Cliffs

Chibi(modern map), Hubei province, China

208 A.D.

Cao Cao vs. Liu Bei & Sun Quan



Number of Soldiers involved:

850,000



A classic battle in Chinese history famous for the smaller and weaker defeating the bigger and stronger



Winner: Liu Bei & Sun Quan



The Battle of the Red Cliffs was a battle of the three kingdoms of China THE LARGEST NAVAL SEA BATEETS IN MILITARY HISTORY A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LARGEST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL NAVAL BATTLES IN WORLD HISTORY RANKED ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF SOLDIERS INVOLVED SKAGERRAK BATTLE OF JUTLAND near Jutland, Denmark 1916 NORTH SEA 7th DENMARK Germany vs. Great Britain DOGGER BANK ENGLAND Number of soldiers involved: GERMANY 100,000 NETHERLANDS BELGIUM FRANCE The British Advantage 37:27 in Heavy Units 113:72 in Light Support Aircraft GERMANY BRITAIN The only major naval surface engagement of World War I BATTLESHIPS: 16 BATTLESHIPS: 28 BATTLECRUISERS: BATTLECRUISERS: PRE-DREADNOUGHTS: 6 ARMORED CRUISERS: 8. LIGHT CRUISERS: 11 LIGHT CRUISERS: 26 TORPEDO BOATS: 61 DESTROYERS: 78 Winner: Draw TOTAL SHIPS: 98 MINELAYER: SEAPLANE: TOTAL SHIPS: 151 OKINAWA BATTLE OF THE PHILIPPINE SEA IWO JIMA 6th Philippine Sea 1944 MARIANAS IS. United States vs. Japan PHILIPPINE SEA PHILIPPINES SAIPAN Number of soldiers involved: A 127,000+ (U.S.) GUAM PALAU IS. CAROLINE Is. Known as "the greatest carrier battle of World NEW GUINEA War II" UNITED STATES JAPAN On the first day of attack, Japan CARRIERS: 15 CARRIERS: lost 300 out BATTLESHIPS: BATTLESHIPS: 5. of 430 planes CRUISERS: 21 CRUISERS: 13 Due to the desiciveness of U.S. victory over the Japanese Imperial Army, it has been called as DESTROYERS: 67 DESTROYERS: 33 SUBMARINES: 28 SUBMARINES: 24 "The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" AIRCRAFT: 902 AIRCRAFT: (CARRIER-BASED) 450 (LAND-BASED) 300 Winner: U.S. BULGARIA ALBANIA AEGEAN SEA GREECE TURKEY ULE OF CORINT BATTLE OF LEPANTO 5th Gulf of Corinth, Ionian Sea CORINTH ATHENS JONIAN SEA 1571 Allied Christian Forces vs. Ottoman EDITERRANEAN SEA SEA OF CRETE CO Number of soldiers involved: 150,000 HOLY LEAGUE OTTOMAN The greatest naval battle of oar-driven vessels in the history of the Mediterranean (ALLIED CHRISTIAN FORCES) GALLEYS: 206 GALLEYS: 230 It was the first defeat of the Ottoman navy in direct confrontation with the Christian forces. Winner: Allied Christian Forces *The Galeys of the poriod. *As it appears on modern map. CHINA BATTLE OF YAMEN Yamen, Guangdong, China 1279 4th GUANGDONG Mongol Yuan Dynasty vs. Song Dynasty PACIFIC OCEAN Number of soldiers involved: 宋朝 200,000 SONG DYNASTY YUAN DYNASTY (SOUTHERN) (MONGOL) WARSHIPS: 1,000 WARSHIPS: 50 Fact: The Song Dynasty was the first Chinese government that built a permanent standing navy to protect its aquatic and land territory. Yuan commanders deployed deception and audacious tactics to overcome at least a 10:1 mismatch in numbers During the Yamen Battle, the Song emperor Huaizong was just eight years old. Winner: Mongol Yuan Dynasty The battle spanned over more than 100,000 square miles of sea BATTLE OF PE ENGAÑO BATTLE OF THE LEYTE GULF Leyte, Philippines 1944 NILA 3rd OF SAMA BATTLE OFF SAMAR United States vs. Japan LEYT BATTLE OF SURIGAO STRAIT 4 200,000 Number of soldiers involved: MINDANAO The U.S. invasion of the Philippines reinforces Allied Forces' control of the Pacific during World War II UNITED STATES JAPAN Fact: The Battle of Leyte Gulf is remembered as the biggest naval battle ever fought SHIPS: 232 SHIPS: 53 THE LEYTE GULF WAR CONSISTED OF FOUR BATTLES: Battle of Sibuyan Sea Battle of Surigao Strait Battle off Samar Battle of Cape Engano Winner: U.S. GULF OF BATTLE OF SALAMIS Salamis, near Athens CORINTH 2nd ATHENS CORINTH 480 B.C.E. SALAMIS Greeks vs. Persians SARONIC GULF Number of soldiers involved: 250,000 Ranked as “one of the most *Athons ancient symbol. decisive military engagements of all time" GREEKS PERSIANS SHIPS: 1,207 SHIPS: 371 due to impact on emergence of Western civilation as a major force in the world. Winner: Greeks *lustration of a Grook Trirame. XIANGYANG BATTLE OF THE RED CLIFFS 1st Chibi(modern map), Hubei province, China 208 A.D. YANGTZE RIVER JIANGLING Cao Cao vs. Liu Bei & Sun Quan YANGTZE RIVER CHAISANG Number of soldiers involved: 850,000 A classic battle in Chinese history famous for the smaller and weaker defeating the bigger and stronger The Battle of the Red Cliffs was a battle of the three kingdoms of China Winner: Liu Bei & Sun Quan REFERENCES JUTLAND http://www.history.com/toplcs/battie-ofJutland PHILIPPINE SEA http://sulte101.com/article/battle-ofthe-phillppine-sea-a61566#.UwyzeytAT64 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/toplc/456391/Battie-ofthe Philippine-Sea http://www.history.com/this-day-In-history/united-states-scores-major-victory- agalnstjapanese-in-battle-of-the-philppine-sea http://www.encyclopedla.com/toplc/Battle_of_the_Phlippine_Sea.aspx LEPANTO http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/336733/Battle-of-Lepanto http://www.academla.edu/1824132/The_Battle_of_Lepanto_1571 and_the_ Venetlan_Eastem_Adrlatic_Impactof_a_Global_Confict_on_the_Mediterranean Periphery_PDF_verslon http://www.molossla.org/mlacademy/lepanto.html YAMEN http://thedipiomat.com/the-naval-diplomat/2013/01/31/top-5-naval-battles-of- the-aslapacinic/ http://history.cultural-china.com/en/46HIstory9315.html NORWICH 1819 UNIVERSITY" Expect Challenge. Achieve Distinction. LEYTE GULF http://www.usi http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/338453/Battle-of-Leyte-Gult https://www.boundless.com/history/tromisolation-to-worid-waral-1930-1943/ war-in-pacific/battle-leytegult/ SALAMIS http://www.milltary.com/NowContent/0,13190,NHL0705_stake,00.html http://www.molossla.org/mlacademy/salamis.html RED CLIFFS http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/34HIstory359.html http://ld.loc.gov/authoritles/subjects/sh2009009395.html CREDITS Battieships at sea, U.S. Navy: Trtreme, awesomestortes.com; Anclont Chinese Wartor, teoHo radelmn.devtantart.com Leyte landing britannica.com: org/store/books/alrcraft-cariers/battle-leyte-gulf http://militaryhistory.norwich.edu/ ot.com; Anclent Greek Warrior, supercoloring.com Mongolan Warrlor, Chnese Dragon symbol, goway.com; Owl Athens symbol, platos-academy.com HAN RIVER