KMS Bismarck *Re-uploaded because I forgot something* The German battleship Bismarck was launched on February 14, 1939, as one of the most powerful battleships built by Germany. It entered active service in 1940 and quickly became a symbol of German naval strength during World War II. In May 1941, during its first major mission in the Atlantic, Bismarck fought in the Battle of the Denmark Strait, where it sank the British battlecruiser HMS Hood. The loss shocked the Royal Navy, which launched a