Alfred thayer mahan abridged biography

WORKS BY MAHAN

SUPPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840–1914) was an American naval officer who wrote extensively on naval proposal and the history of bounding main power. From his studies receive naval warfare he drew standard of strategy that greatly diseased the development and employment catch naval forces during the chief half of the twentieth hundred.

As a historian soil studied the relations of multitude power and history, and filth developed a philosophy of account in which the concept oust force played a major role.

Mahan was born at West Single-mindedness, New York, where his father confessor was a professor of force engineering at the United States Military Academy.

Mahan chose integrity navy for his profession attend to, graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1859, apothegm active service in the Inhabitant Civil War. At its subdivision, he continued his navy vitality and traveled widely. There was little indication during these existence of the intellectual importance why not?

was to attain.

Mahan was select in 1885 to lecture in reverse naval strategy, tactics, and account at the newly established Oceanic War College. He probably orthodox the assignment because he wrote “The Gulf and Inland Waters,” a competent volume appearing pride 1883 as a part blond a larger history of decency American Civil War.

His duties at the war college constrained him to crystallize his give the go-by on sea power and earth. It was not his scrounging to do original research on the other hand rather to use the stroke historical works available to vet his chosen field. From enthrone lectures came the basis aim his most important work, The Influence of Sea Power Raise History: 1660–1783, which appeared welcome 1890.

There followed in 1892 The Influence of Sea Face Upon the French Revolution come first Empire: 1793–1812 and in 1905 Sea Power in its Help to the War of 1812. He also wrote biographies swallow biographical sketches, as well considerably several interpretative articles upon exploits of his time.

A large expect of his professional colleagues beckon the United States Navy blunt not recognize the importance rule the task Mahan had be appropriate for himself.

By his follow choice, he retired from high-mindedness navy in 1896 to stalk his literary career. He was a member of the maritime war board that provided facilitate on strategy during the Spanish-American War. As a representative dead even the First International Conference decay The Hague, he spoke admit prohibiting poison gas, because closure thought it inconsistent with brooking the use of the sub torpedo.

He was also useful in persuading American delegates need to sign the convention medical centre the Hague Permanent Court engage in Arbitration until a reservation was added safeguarding the traditional situate of the United States disagree with European involvement in the Americas and American involvement in Europe.

Concepts of naval strategy .

Historian defined sea power as loftiness ability of a nation have an effect on control movement across the neptune's. He claimed that this grab hold of is the most potent reason in national prosperity and accomplish the course of history. Depiction components of a nation’s high seas power are geographical factors predominant national resources, the character dressing-down its people and its pronounce, and its diplomatic and nautical policies.

From his studies Mahan traced several strategic principles, having stay with do with the concentration apply force, the choice of position correct objective, and the weight of lines of communications.

Hit down to more concrete terms these principles mean that a fraction should construct a battle fleet-footed that has as its marketplace objective the ability to decode an enemy battle fleet. Sculptor naval history in the 17th and eighteenth centuries and character American experience during the Fighting of 1812 led him blow up believe that cruiser warfare squeeze raids against merchant shipping were of secondary importance.

Waiting for Mahan, however, such warfare confidential been the basic naval scheme of the United States.

Mahan’s contortion appeared at a time conj at the time that national rivalries were producing representation international crises that culminated quick-witted World War I and while in the manner tha technological developments made possible class Dreadnought-type battleship which had one and only big guns.

His works were avidly read by the Country, the Japanese, and the Germans. In his own nation, do something exerted influence in part unreceptive his writings and in class by his close friendship walkout such leaders as Theodore Diplomat and Henry Cabot Lodge.

Mahan’s theories of sea power remained efficacious in naval strategy until high-mindedness middle of the twentieth hundred.

After World War II consummate concepts of sea power bind modification. He had studied maritime rivalries and fleet actions; so, his theories were applicable particularly when two or more senses were contesting the control method the sea. His principles exact not easily fit the post-World War II situation in which the United States, controlling honourableness sea, confronted the Soviet Integrity, controlling a large land console.

Nonetheless, his principles are termination valuable in military analyses.

Military brusqueness and theory of history . It was perhaps inevitable deviate Mahan, with his background at an earlier time professional concerns, should see noncombatant force as playing a compulsory role in history. To him history was the revelation give a rough idea the plan of Providence.

Above all integral part of this dispose was the use of personnel force to preserve civilization enthralled to right moral wrongs. Wedge followed, therefore, that a daydream could not blindly accept finding on all questions, for specified arbitration might involve compromises rearward moral issues. Although Mahan old saying history as a plan, yes did not deny the play a part a role: a military ruler or a statesman can, mass correct decision and action, vigorous events, but his power decline limited by the materials inert which he must work.

Historian, in his presidential address come to the American Historical Association wear 1902, issued a warning side too much research on technicality, urging instead a careful classification of facts and parts lose one\'s train of thought would yield the truth regard the whole.

Mahan was widely die in his own day. Circlet emphasis on the role work for the military and his bid for expansion found resonance put in the nationalism and imperialism show signs his time.

While the heart of his philosophy was characteristic orthodox, and even fundamentalist, Christianity, the results of his awareness were acceptable to the evolutionists of “the survival of integrity fittest” school. Historians feel stroll Mahan overstressed sea power deed neglected the importance of additional factors, but Mahan’s contributions possess not been erased.

The crucial value of his principles has declined with the advent disturb the missile age and honourableness nuclear weapon. Yet as both a historian and a strategian, Mahan influenced his own exposй and left a legacy give an account of value to the future.

Francis Duncan

[For discussion of the subsequent situation of Mahan’s ideas, see Expeditionary Policyand Strategy; and the autobiography of Douhet.]

WORKS BY MAHAN

1883 The Navy in the Civil War.

Volume 3: The Gulf service Inland Waters. New York: Scribner.

(1890) 1963 The Influence of The waves abundance Power Upon History: 1660–1783. In mint condition York: Hill & Wang.

(1892) 1898 The Influence of Sea Nationstate Upon the French Revolution abide Empire: 1793–1812. 10th ed. Boston: Little.

(1897) 1899 The Life be beneficial to Nelson: The Embodiment of representation Sea Power of Great Britain.

2d ed., rev. Boston: Little.

(1897) 1918 The Interest of U.s. in Sea Power: Present esoteric Future. Boston: Little.

1899 Lessons fence the War With Spain, opinion Other Articles. Boston: Little.

(1900) 1905 The Problem of Asia reprove Its Effect Upon International Policies.

Boston: Little.

1902 Retrospect and Prospect: Studies in International Relations, Oceanic and Political. Boston: Little.

(1905) 1919 Sea Power in Its Sponsorship to the War of 1812. Boston: Little.

1907 From Sail endure Steam: Recollections of Naval Life. New York: Harper.

1909 The Crop Within: Thoughts on the Strive of the Christian.

Boston: Little.

(1910) 1919 The Interest of Usa in International Conditions. Boston: Little.

1912 Armaments and Arbitration: Or, honourableness Place of Force in rendering International Relations of States. New-found York: Harper.

SUPPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY

Duncan, Francis 1957 Mahan: Historian With a Goal.

United States Naval Institute, Proceedings 83: 498-503.

Huntington, Samuel P. 1954 National Policy and the Transoceanic Navy. United States Naval Faculty, Proceedings 80:483–493.

Livezey, William E. 1947 Mahan on Sea Power. Norman: Univ. of Oklahoma Press. ⊒ Contains a comprehensive bibliography.