​Sea Power Review: An informative documentary about the evolution of modern warfare

3/5

Story: Sea Power is a four-part documentary that talks about battleships, submarines and aircraft carriers that have changed the history of modern warfare, which includes battleships, stealth frigates, submarines, equipped nuclear warheads, atomic bombs and nuclear-powered submarines.

Review: If you are a history buff and someone who likes delving into the details of warfare and their evolution over the years, then this documentary is for you. The four-part documentary series comprising the episodes- The Awakening of the Giants, A World in Flames, The Hunt and New Threats, dives deep into the warfare methods deployed in the many wars fought across the world over the last century.

The series opens in 1916, in the North Sea, in the backdrop of the First World War (1914 to 1918) where 100 German warships are about to change the course of history as they gear up to take on their enemy, the British Royal Navy. We are soon introduced to the German battleship SMS Nassau, and the ship firing its first salvo, followed by the introduction to the first British ship built with an iron hull, the HMS Warrior. Here, we get an account of how the armor of these warships protect the ship's most vulnerable parts, how they deflect cannonballs and make the ship immune from enemy fire. As the documentary traverses to the period of the Second World War (1939 to 1945), where warfare witnesses a breakneck technological change, wherein less than a generation, ships made from wood and sail and operate on wind power, go on to become steel battleships, built especially by the United States and France, it tells us how wars were and are a serious business.

We also see the transformation of submarines from submersible to nuclear, where one of the first submarines resembled a cigar that could dive in improbable conditions. We get a glimpse of the United​​ States' Narwhal, which has an inner-rounded hull that withstands crushing water pressure and the innovative design that goes on to influence all submarines that came after it. Submarines are like people, with precise signatures and fingerprints. There is a portion about type XXI submarines, which have batteries that are three times as powerful as models, stay under water for 75 hours under single charge, a record at that time. We also get a peek into torpedoes, an explosive warhead propelled by a cylinder of compressed air and armed with explosive warheads.

The series talks about how the deadliest cat and mouse games are played in the oceans and how it has turned into a strategic battleground for power-hungry nations across the world. It also gives us a peek into the many interesting incidents during the wars. For instance, when the UK's Royal Navy and Imperial German Navy came face-to-face suddenly as both of them go after a passing Danish fishing boat and the way USS Indianapolis, had a mysterious metallic container that carried a top-secret weapon, the atomic bomb, which would be later unleashed on its enemy, Japan. There are many nuggets of history about how Adolf Hitler wanted Germany to rise from the ashes by launching aircraft carriers, how the Japanese take on the US with the battle cruisers, Pearl Harbour and U- boat attacks, Cuban missile crisis, the dismantling of the Soviet Bloc in the 1990s to the modern-day warfare with combat drones as terrorism lurks its ugly head across.

The show, originally made in German, has been translated into English by Florian Dedio and Michaela McMohan. The voiceovers are by Olivier Raynal, Kester Lovelace, Michael Morris, Sarah Cleather and David Stanley. Sea Power is an interesting and informative documentary, but at times, the technical details about the warships or submarines can get a tad heavy for some. But, if you are a history buff, then you will find the series fascinating.

Verdict: Go for it if you are into warfare and history!