Japan Dismissed U.S. Submarines - Until Their Merchant Fleet Collapsed

Japan Dismissed U.S. Submarines - Until Their Merchant Fleet Collapsed.

Japan dismissed U.S. submarines as weak and irrelevant — until the “Silent Service” brought their empire to its knees. In this documentary, we uncover how a force that made up less than 2% of the U.S. Navy sank over half of Japan’s merchant fleet and starved the empire of fuel, food, and war supplies.
At the start of WWII, Japanese leaders believed battleships and carriers would decide the Pacific War. They underestimated logistics and left their vital shipping lanes unprotected. But by 1943, U.S. submarines had overcome faulty torpedoes, refined wolfpack tactics, and coordinated with intelligence breakthroughs. From the South China Sea to the Formosa Strait, American submarines turned shipping routes into graveyards. By 1945, more than 1,100 Japanese merchant ships and 200 warships had been sunk, crippling Japan’s war machine and leaving soldiers stranded without supplies.
Through vivid storytelling, historical context, and personal accounts, this video brings to life the desperate final years of Japan’s merchant fleet and the deadly efficiency of the Silent Service. Viewers will learn how economic warfare at sea proved as decisive as any battle on land, reshaping the outcome of World War II and influencing naval strategy for decades.
⚓ Dive into the story of arrogance, desperation, and destruction at sea — and discover how submarines changed the course of history. Watch now and explore more untold WWII stories.