The Horrifying Sinking That Completely Shocked the Allies

In late 1941, despite years of naval warfare near the main island, British leaders and naval commanders still placed great faith in the modern battleship. These massive vessels, a literal symbol of national power and prestige, carried a legacy spanning centuries of maritime dominance.

One such ship was HMS Prince of Wales, a state-of-the-art King George V-class battleship with an impressive resume spanning multiple theaters.
As the threat in the Pacific grew, the battleship was dispatched in early December to lead a task force defending British territories in the Far East. Her advanced radar systems, powerful 14-inch guns, and thick armor made her seem invincible.

On December 8, the flagship stood proudly in Singapore's harbor, the cornerstone of British naval power in the region. Her crew of 1,500 sailors and officers were ready to deter any Japanese aggression that presented to them.

Merely days later, the unthinkable happened.

As morning broke on December 10, just like a few days prior in Pearl Harbor, the sky filled with Japanese aircraft. And despite her impressive defenses, Prince of Wales found herself woefully vulnerable and rendered inadequate to a new form of warfare: AirPower.