Submersible attempts began centuries ago, with early breakthroughs like the Turtle in 1776 and the H.L. Hunley in the Civil War. True transformation didn’t arrive until World War I, when technological advances made submarines reliable tools for coastal defense and protecting supply routes to Europe.

Between the wars, submarines grew larger, faster, and more capable. The Navy trained crews to scout for battleships and attack enemy warships. In World War II, American submarines shifted to sinking merchant and convoy ships, ultimately destroying about one‑third of Japan’s navy.

The advent of nuclear propulsion—driven by Admiral Hyman G. Rickover—allowed submarines to remain submerged for entire patrols. Modern fleets include ballistic‑missile submarines for nuclear deterrence and attack submarines for anti‑ship and anti‑submarine missions.

Artists, drawn to the submarine’s hidden form and the danger faced by its crews, have long tried to capture its mystery and drama.