Beneath the Surface (Part 1) – The Evolution of Submarine Warfare | The Rank and File Podcast Ep 4

For centuries, sailors feared what lurked beneath the waves — until humans decided to join it.

In Part 1 of The Rank and File Podcast’s two-part deep dive into submarine warfare, we trace the origins of underwater combat - from Cornelis Drebbel’s 17th-century invention to the deadly U-boats of World War I.

This episode explores the early pioneers who risked everything to master the deep - inventors, engineers, and soldiers who transformed the ocean from a frontier into a battlefield.

• The world’s first submarine: Cornelis Drebbel’s underwater experiment (1600s)

• The Turtle: America’s first underwater attack (1776)

• The H.L. Hunley: The first successful submarine kill (1864)

• The U-Boat Revolution: How World War I changed naval warfare forever

Part 2 releases next week - covering WWII to modern nuclear and stealth submarine warfare.