A History of Sea Power

This survey traces the evolution and influence of sea power from the earliest Mediterranean maritime civilizations through the Revolution in naval warfare and the naval campaigns of the First World War. It recounts the rise of island and coastal powers, classical sea empires, medieval galley states, European expansion by Portugal and Spain, the Dutch and British struggles for command of the oceans, Napoleonic-era tactics and the rise of Nelson, and later technological revolutions from steam and ironclads to submarines and commerce warfare. Emphasis falls on enduring naval principles, the strategic role of fleets in national fortunes, and period references, maps, and illustrations to guide further study.