Born from Japan’s quest for stealth and surprise before the Second World War, the Type A Kō-hyōteki-class midget submarines promised to change naval warfare with daring harbour attacks. Yet what seemed an ingenious secret weapon and one of the world’s smallest combat submarines, turned into an operational disaster, costing crews their lives for little gain. As the Allies advanced and naval technology raced ahead, these tiny subs revealed how design flaws and overconfidence could sink even the boldest plans, long before they ever reached the enemy.
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