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The U.S. Navy battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62) fires a nine gun salvo of 40.6 cm into a target Kaesong, Korea on 1, January 1953.
The waters of the Earth's oceans have seen as much violence and conflict as its land.
For centuries the only way to travel the world was to brave the high sea. Control over shipping routes was essential for the security of nations and empires. Throughout history, the nations of the world have built and sent massive fleets to do battle with one another to take control of swathes of the oceans.
Though confined to vessels, naval battles have been just as large and devastating as land battles. This is especially true when HMS Dreadnought was created in 1906, ushering a new era of battleships that defined the 20th century.
With this new type of warship, and with the advent of aircraft carriers decades later, naval battles saw a new level of intensity and importance, as they defined the course of wars.
Here are 10 of the largest and most important naval battles in modern history: