![]() ![]() In 1874 Mahan scored a humiliating hat trick. In 1861 Mahan drove the Pocahontas into the anchored Seminole. It is ironic that one of the worst seamen to ever command a ship underway should become one of the most influential naval theorists in maritime history. In time this event would transform his heretofore undistinguished career and alter world events. In that moment was born the most influential book on naval strategy and foreign policy of his era. Taking up a leather bound copy of Mommsen's The History of Rome the middle aged officer settled into an overstuffed chair and began to study Hannibal's invasion of Rome during the Second Punic War. Invited to give a series of lectures at the recently established Naval War College he searched the polished shelves seeking inspiration. In November 1884 as the forces of change grew in the United States a reluctant sailor perused the elegant library of the English Club in Lima, Peru. Thus the requirements for a rejuvenated navy dovetailed neatly with an expanding economy, territorial acquisition and popular opinion. Modern warships required large capital investment at home and bases overseas to take on coal, replenish provisions and make repairs. Increasingly they called for a fleet of capital ships, which could break any attempted blockade, prevent invasion and expand and protect American interests abroad. In this atmosphere policy makers began to question the traditional commerce raiding strategy of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War. The burgeoning steel and ship building industries also looked with favor on a revitalized Navy for obvious reasons. Following the lean years of the 1870's, the government was naturally interested in stimulating the economy. A renewed interest in foreign trade required a strong Navy to compete with Britain, France and Germany who were building empires in Africa, India and Asia through colonies and spheres of influence. Having settled the North American continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific people began to consider transcontinental acquisitions as a natural extension or continuation of "Manifest Destiny." In addition to the social and moral factors at work, a resurgent and increasingly industrialized America faced the prospect of saturated domestic markets further fueling the desire for overseas expansion. Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma followed shortly after the turn of the century. Of the forty-eight contiguous states by 1896 all but the Indian Territories had been tamed and entered the Union. Costal fortifications were deemed less provocative and considerably less expensive than a credible blue water navy.Īs the United States bound its wounds and gradually recovered from reconstruction the nation began to look outward again. A post war, isolationist, defensive mentality exacerbated the rush to disarm. In this environment the eighteen knot USS Wampanoag, first warship to employ super heated steam, was scrapped as congress mandated a return to sail in order to save money on coal. These, with a few notable exceptions, were crewed largely by the dregs of the waterfront for, as promotion and advancement opportunities stagnated, officers and enlisted personnel left the service in droves taking with them hard won battle experience and years of training. Only 52 ships mounting 500 guns remained in active commission. In just five years 92.6 per cent of the fleet had been sold, scrapped or laid up. In 1865 the United States Navy mustered 700 ships (many of them iron clad and steam powered), mounting 5,000 cannon (many of those rifled, shell guns of the latest design), crewed by 6,700 officers and 51,000 men. Alfred Thayer Mahan: Advocate for SeapowerĪlfred Thayer Mahan: Advocate for Seapower.Washington, D.C.: The Woodrow Wilson Center Press. Inventing Grand Strategy and Teaching Command: The Classic Works of Alfred Thayer Mahan Reconsidered. Mahan on Naval Strategy: selections from the writings of Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan edited by John B. The Life of Nelson: The Embodiment of the Sea Power of Great Britain (2 vols., 1897) US Naval Proceedings magazine, June 1906, Volume XXXVI, No. Reflections, Historic and Other, Suggested by the Battle of the Japan Sea. Sea Power in Relation to the War of 1812 (2 vols., 1905). The Influence of Sea Power upon the French Revolution and Empire, 1793–1812 (2 vols., 1892) The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783 (1890) ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |