The Fleets at War

A concise survey of naval power and strategy at the outbreak of the European war, assessing the relative strength, preparedness, and organization of the principal fleets. The text combines descriptive chapters on each navy with portraits of senior commanders and profiles of officers and men, analyses of key bases and strategic waterways such as the Kiel Canal, and discussion of mobilization, commerce interdiction, and measures to sustain overseas trade. Technical tables and a large map support narrative analysis, making the volume both a thematic account of sea power’s early impact and a practical reference to ships, dispositions, and logistical factors that shaped initial maritime operations.