The impetus behind the creation of the SS Normandie was propelled by this competitive spirit, and more so by the French’s desire to outshine their European neighbors, particularly Britain and Germany, in the realm of maritime accomplishment. Read More The Salvage of USS Oklahoma after the Attack on Pearl Harbor In the late 1920s and early 1930s, multiple nations were engaged in a ferocious battle, not just for technological supremacy, but for the prestige that came with operating the fastest and most opulent vessels across the Atlantic. The genesis of the SS Normandie was firmly rooted in an era characterized by fierce transatlantic competition among luxurious ocean liners.
Unfortunately, during World War II, while being converted to a troopship in New York, the Normandie caught fire and capsized, marking an end to her short but illustrious career. At the time of her maiden voyage in 1935, she was the largest and fastest ship in the world and held the Blue Riband for the fastest transatlantic crossing. The SS Normandie was a French ocean liner launched in 1932, celebrated for its luxurious design and advanced engineering.
