Trento

Prototype: Trento was the first of two Trento-class cruisers; they were the first heavy cruisers built for the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy). The ship was laid down in February 1925, launched in October 1927, and was commissioned in April 1929. Trento was very lightly armored, with only a 70 mm (2.8 in) thick armored belt, though she possessed a high speed and heavy armament of eight 203 mm (8.0 in) guns. Though nominally built under the restrictions of the Washington Naval Treaty, the two cruisers significantly exceeded the displacement limits imposed by the treaty.

Trento frequently served as the flagship of the Cruiser Division throughout the 1930s. During the pre-war period, she also made lengthy trips abroad, including a tour of South America from May to October 1929 and a deployment to China from January to June 1932 to protect Italian nationals during the Chinese Civil War. She also took part in numerous naval reviews held for visiting foreign leaders.

After Italy entered World War II in June 1940, Trento saw extensive action in the Mediterranean Sea, including at the battles of Calabria, Cape Spartivento, and Cape Matapan in July and November 1940 and March 1941, respectively. She was also present during the inconclusive First and Second Battles of Sirte, and at the latter she severely damaged a British destroyer. Trento was also frequently tasked with escorting convoys to supply Italian forces in North Africa as well as interdicting British convoys to Malta. During one of the latter missions to attack the British Operation Harpoon convoy in June 1942, Trento was torpedoed twice, first by a Bristol Beaufighter torpedo bomber and then sunk by the submarine HMS Umbra with very heavy loss of life.

Class History: The Trento class was a group of two heavy cruisers built for the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) in the late 1920s, the first such vessels built for the Italian fleet. The two ships in the class—Trento and Trieste, were named after the redeemed cities of Trento and Trieste taken from the Austro-Hungarian empire after the victory in World War I. The ships were very lightly armored, with only a 70 mm (2.8 in) thick armored belt, though they possessed a high speed and heavy armament of eight 203 mm (8.0 in) guns. Nominally built under the restrictions of the Washington Naval Treaty, the two cruisers nevertheless exceeded the displacement limits imposed by the treaty.

In the interwar period, the two cruisers served in the Cruiser Division, frequently alternating as the divisional flagship. Trento made two extensive trips abroad, the first was a tour of South American countries in mid to late-1929 and the second was a deployment to China to protect Italian nationals during the Chinese Civil War. In 1938, Trieste assisted in the repatriation of Italian volunteer soldiers who had fought in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Both ships saw extensive action in World War II, including the battles of Calabria, Cape Spartivento, and Cape Matapan. Trieste was damaged by a British submarine in November 1941 and therefore missed the First and Second Battles of Sirte, where at the latter action Trento damaged a British destroyer.

Trento was torpedoed and sunk by a British torpedo bomber and a submarine in June 1942 with heavy loss of life. In April 1943, Trieste was also sunk in port at La Maddalena during an attack by United States heavy bombers. Salvage operations began in 1950, and after it was determined that the ship's engines had been preserved by leaked fuel oil, the hull was sold to the Spanish Navy, which planned to convert the vessel into a light aircraft carrier. The plan was eventually cancelled in 1956 due to rising costs of the project, and Trieste was broken up for scrap in 1959

Country: Italy, a European country with a long Mediterranean coastline, has left a powerful mark on Western culture and cuisine. Its capital, Rome, is home to the Vatican as well as landmark art and ancient ruins. Other major cities include Florence, with Renaissance masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s "David" and Brunelleschi's Duomo; Venice, the city of canals; and Milan, Italy’s fashion capital.