Germany began construction on the Graf Zeppelin aircraft carrier in 1936, intending it to be Hitler's largest warship. However, when World War II began in 1939, the carrier was nearly complete but Germany lacked experience operating carriers, so work was halted. The Graf Zeppelin spent much of the war towed in Polish waters. In 1942 Germany decided to finish the carrier but it was too late to impact the Atlantic theater. The Graf Zeppelin ultimately sank in the Baltic Sea after being destroyed by Soviet naval and air forces.