The meeting of Bismarck and HMS Hood in 1941 ended with the destruction of the two battleships and the loss of 3500 lives. The Bismarck had only been on the seas for six days, and within minutes of the battle had sunk the Hood, which went down in just three-and-a-half minutes. In retaliaton the British sent every available ship and plane to destroy Bismarck. Only nine days after she first set sail she was destroyed.