Standing watch over the Indian Ocean

Between the two World Wars, the British empire had begun to lose some of its naval prowess. Essentially a maritime power, Great Britain had virtually ruled the world until then through its colonies. It was even said that the sun would “never set upon the British empire”.  However, after the Industrial Revolution, countries such as the United States (US), Germany, Italy, Japan, and France embarked upon technological advancements. These countries began rapidly building their economies and military strength over time. Moreover, some of them had autocratic leaders (Adolf Hitler in Germany, Benito Mussolini in Italy, and Emperor Hirohito in Japan)