The submarine has been a key to American history.

Of course I am very bias in my belief that the submarine alone has been the one warship that has played such a role in out nations history. Here are the facts and you can decide.

During the Revolution it was a submarine (Turtle) that although unsuccessful in her attempt to sink a British warship, did cause the blockading ships to move to deeper water. This move effectivly broke the blockade of New York Harbor.

In the Civil War the CSS HUNLEY's sinkingof a Union ship, sent shock waves around the world. Nations especially Germany sought out plans and designs for her own subs.

It was the torpedo from a submarine that brought America into WWI when U-20 sank the LUSITANIA.

It was another submarine that swayed America toward war with Germany prior to Pearl Harbor when the German U-boat U-552 torpedoed and sank the American Destroyer RUEBEN JAMES.

It was the threat ofAmerican Submarines that caused the Japanese to not make a third strike at Pearl Harbor.  Had they done so and destroyed drydocks, the Pacific fleet would not have been able to get back into action.

It was American submarines that heldthe Japanese at bay while the fleet rebuilt after Pearl Harbor.

American submarines so decimated the Japanese merchant fleet, that the Imperial Navy had to take it's own comabat subs and make them transports. 

The only warship to shell the United States was a submarine.

The only areial attack on the United States came from a submarine.

The only man-o-war captured intact by the United States since 1812 was a submarine.

Nuclear power was first used on a submarine.

The USA held the Soviets at bay by deployment of missiles hidden in submarines. We could not match them in tanks, aircraft or troops.

It was a submarine that nearly touched off a nuclear exchange with Russia during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

It was and is the submarine that makes world leaders think twice before they commit to an action that might justify a missle strike. The first indication of a submarine being in the area is the explosion.