In 1925, the United States Navy found itself resting on its laurels as France and Russia were licking their wounds. The naval buildup worldwide prompted a cautious Congress to authorize 3 new battleships. Initally the USN was thinking of making a group of 37,500 ton battleships based on the successful Constitution class.
Senator Tillman, furious with the ever increasing demands ordered the navy to build the largest battleships possible so 'No more demand would reach this room' igoring realities that the US shipyards could not build up a ship of some estimated 70 000 tons. However, the naval board introduced the most ambitious design possible.
Named after the home state of President Lincoln (as it was the 60th anniversary of the end of the Civil War) the USN introduced a 44,000 ton design which in the future would be used as a future basis for the "Battleship to end all battleships". Using a newly developed 18 inch cannons and utilizing the most protective above and underwater armor scheme at the time and with a secondary and tertiary Armarment designed with aerial threats in mind instead of torpedo boats.
When finished some 82 months after beginning, the Congressional members were impressed with the design. Although underarmored, US gunnery was regarded as among the best in the world and it's massive guns and speed would allow it to choose battles with other Dreadnoughts and frighten battlecruisers.
In 1932, they would get their chance to show themselves off as France would go for a round three with the US blaming them for supplying the Viet Cong (a false accusation as it was Germany and Japan that supplied them).
As Pennsylvania was heading to Panama with three light carriers (the former New York armored cruisers of 1898 vintage) and 4 heavy cruisers they stumbled upon the elderly Lille (French battlecruiser, 1907, 25 knots, 12 inch guns), a seaplane carrier and a light cruiser heading to the canal from their Antilles base.
The giant battle wagon surged after them and while the Astoria class Heavy cruisers pursued the latter engaged the battlecruiser. Within minutes it became clear that the captain, Percy Olmstead had kept his crew trained as 18 inch shells tore through the ship starting fires and preventing an effective response.
The only thing that saved Lille from immediate destruction was a a plea of assistance from the heavy cruisers as two had been torpedoed. The battleships presence was too late as the longer legged vessels escaped. Afterwards she and her sibling headed to the Phillipennes and would prove themselves.
Despite furious french air resistance, the quick firing AA weapons performed well against the canvas biplanes. Further attempts to attack with submarines were met with failure as they were in company with small fleets. The only torpedo strike to succeed (launched by the Surcouf) only got two torpedoes in on the Rhode Island which was overseeing invasion bombardment during rhe assault on Saigon. The ship was relatively undamaged and the Surcouf sunk an hour later.
Overall the class was well regarded for a variety of features including air conditioning (a first), spacious accommodation for admirals, Electric Eyes (RADAR) and the first 6 inch DP mounts.
By the end of the war in 1935 though, major criticisms would emerge. The major being it's lack of armor as evidenced in the Illinois battle with the French Dreadnought Charles Martel. Despite the latters sinking, the American battleship was grievously wounded by the 15 inch guns and nearly sank herself. The second and most pressing was how undefended they were from air attack.
The French air force, despite being bloodily repulsed in the first two years on air air attacks scored strikes when more powerful metallic monoplanes emerged allowing dive bombers and torpedo bombers to survive the light AA.
The most pressing manner though was how inessential it was. The work it performed had many contenders in the excellent (for their time) Consitution class and Michigan class.
When the time came for cutbacks in 1938 to meet arms treaties the US surprised the world by scrapping the battle wagons first. However their legacy would live on in the 55,000 ton Arizona class of 1950 (built to meet the German Bismarck class) which followed many of the same principles but did them far better. An event that would be proven in the battle off Iceland when Arizona and Oklahoma with the carriers Wright and Langley defeated a German battlefleet comprised of three Bismarck Class and two Graff Zeppelin carriers with minimal injuries in 1954.
Thankfully in recent years the Illinois class has been rehabilitated from its scornful outlook as the influence on the Arizona has been recognized.
