Tag Archives: Battle of Taranto

this day in the yesteryear: Battle of Taranto (1940)

Battle of Taranto (1940)

The Battle of Taranto during World War II marked the first all-aircraft naval attack in history. The results were definitive, as British planes destroyed much of the Italian fleet anchored in Taranto, in an arm of the Ionian Sea. The battle is seen as a turning point in military history, marking the end of the reign of “big-gun” battleships and leading to the rise of naval air power. Certain aspects of the attack were studied as part of the planning for what other notorious aerial assault? More… Discuss