What was the strongest weapon before the atomic bomb?

Prior to the advent of Atomic Weapons: 1. The strongest weapon was the battleship. 2. A battleship could hurl a "2,000 pound bomb" (shell) nearly 20 miles; nine at a time (one salvo). 3. A battleship was the most expensive piece of military equipment that a nation could produce. 4. A battleship was the most complex piece of military equipment that a nation could produce. 5. A battleship was the "most heaviest armored" of any piece of military equipment produced by any nation.