Alfred thayer mahan september 27, 1840 december 1, 1914 was a united states naval officer and historian, whom john keegan called the. In 1890, captain alfred thayer mahan, a lecturer in naval history and the president of the united states naval war college, published the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783, a revolutionary analysis of the importance of naval power as a factor in the rise of the british empire. Alfred thayer mahan, published the influence of sea power upon history. Senator henry cabot lodge of massachusetts and other mahan disciples used his arguments to lobby congress for the battleship act of 1890 and an expansionist foreign policy. Alfred thayer mahan was influential in helping to buildup naval defenses before world war i. Mahan in his book the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783, published in 1890, was eagerly accepted by the united states, great britain, germany, and other modern industrial states in the decades before world war i. In 1890, mahan published one of the most important books of the age, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783. Mahan, the influence of sea power upon history d josiah strong. In the forward to his book, mahan set forth his purpose to examine the general history of europe and america with particular reference to the effect. The influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 is an influential treatise on naval warfare written in 1890 by alfred thayer mahan. Several ships, including the uss mahan, were named in his honor.
Alfred thayer mahan biography facts, childhood, family. He wrote twenty books during his lifetime including the influence of sea power upon. In 1890 alfred thayer mahan published a book that transformed naval theoryand unleashed the worlds great fleets. The geopolitical vision of alfred thayer mahan the diplomat. A little over a century, a long, miserable century later, we might add to its title in the style mahan himself would have recognized. He stressed the interdependence of the military and commercial control of the sea and asserted that the control of seaborne commerce can determine the outcome of wars. Alfred thayer mahan 18401914 influence of seapower upon history, the, an historical study by captain a. The was transferred to ellen lyle mahan in 1918 which eventually fell to the publisher who has published twelve editions of this book. In 1890, naval expert alfred thayer mahan authored a wellregarded and timeless book, the influence of sea power upon history which outlined the influential history and perpetual importance of. What was the name of the naval officer and his 1890 book. Democracies are good at war for many of the same reasons they are good at capitalism and at the enhancement of the human spirit. In 1890, mahan published one of the most important books of the age, the influence of. Price, seapower comes of age b theodore roosevelt, the history of the united states navy c alfred t.
The book carried the grand title the influence of sea power upon history 16601783 and its author was a shy united states naval officerturned war college professor named alfred thayer mahan. Captain alfred thayer mahans book of 1890, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783, argued that control of the sea was the key to world dominance. This highly influential volume, first published in 1890, contains mahan s analysis and discussions of the factors leading to britains naval domination in the eighteenth century, with strategic and tactical recommendations based on these factors. He emphasized the importance of sea power and was inspirational in establishing navies around the world. The naval officer in question is alfred thayer mahan 18401914 who, in 1890, published the results of his extensive study of history, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783. Mahans lecture notes become the basis for his book, the influence of sea power upon history, published in 1890. A naval officer and strategist whose 1890 book, the influence of sea power upon history.
His book the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 1890 won immediate recognition, especially in europe, and with its successor, the influence of sea power upon. Alfred thayer mahan, born september 27, 1840, west point, new york, u. Mahan also believed that america should at least acquire defensive bases in the caribbean and the pacific and take. An expansion of the american empire in asia and africa. Mahan formulated his concept of sea power while reading a history book in lima, peru. Cooperation of the united states with the asian and african peoples c. The influence of sea power upon history, 16601783, by. About the author 1890 alfred thayer mahan was born on september 27, 1840 at west point, new york, where his father was a professor of civil and military engineering at the u. The author, alfred thayer mahan, was a united states naval officer and the son of the esteemed west point professor dennis hart mahan. It was his second book, the influence of sea power upon history 16601783 1890, however, that brought him national and international fame. Mahans classic treatise on naval warfare and how its effective deployment changed the course of history. Alfred thayer mahan, american naval officer and historian who was a highly influential exponent of sea power in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Mahans writings and lectures greatly influenced theodore roosevelt, henry cabot lodge, and other world leaders, including german emperor wilhelm ii, shaping global policy based on. Considered the most influential book in naval strategy, it discusses necessary factors required for achieving naval supremacy.
His most significant impact on history comes from his theories on naval power, especially those explained in his first two books. It details the role of sea power during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and discussed the various factors needed to support and achieve sea power, with emphasis on having the largest and most powerful fleet. A graduate of the united states naval academy at annapolis, maryland, he served as a union officer during the civil war. His book the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 1890 won immediate recognition, especially in europe, and with its successor, the influence of sea power upon the french. In 1885 he was appointed lecturer in naval history and tactics at the us naval war college, and became president of the institution between 18861889. In this book he argued for the paramount importance of. His book the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 1890 won. This edition includes major parts of two books by renowned naval historian alfred thayer mahan, along with an introduction by antony preston. Alfred thayer mahan, published the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 in 1890. In 1890, us navy captain alfred thayer mahan wrote a landmark book entitled, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783. Book, a collection of essays looking at naval history, mostly at the effect of the.
Alfred thayer mahan, the influence of sea power upon history. In the book, the influence of sea power upon history, mahan claimed that countries with sea power were the great nations of history. The book had great impact on navies around the world, and its. The influence of sea power upon history 1890 alfred thayer. He graduated from the naval academy in 1859 and embarked on a nearly 40year naval career seeing duty in the south atlantic and gulf of mexico. Alfred thayer mahan was a naval admiral who was a very effective advocate of imperialism.
The influence of sea power upon history 1890 alfred. Mahans classic treatise on naval warfare and how its effective deployment. In this book he argued for the paramount importance of sea power in national. What was the name of the naval officer and his 1890 book that argued that no nation could prosper without a large fleet of ships engaged in international trade, protected by a powerful navy operating overseas bases. In 1890 mahan published his college lectures as the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783. The influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 by.
The book s first was in 1890 by alfred thayer mahan. Alfred thayer mahan is best known for his 1890 book, the influence of sea power upon history. Alfred thayer mahan 18401914 was an american naval officer, considered one of the most important naval strategists of the nineteenth century. The enemy must not be fended off, but smitten down. In his book the influence of sea power upon history 1890. In 1890 he begins to publish the results of his research, beginning with a book with a rather bulky but selfexplanatory title. The greatest books of all time written by the author alfred thayer mahan. The influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 work.
In the influence of sea power upon history, alfred thayer mahan studied the rise and fall of naval powers. Alfred thayer mahan 18401914 find a grave memorial. In 1890 mahan published his college lectures as the influence of sea power upon. The influence of sea power upon history, 1660 1783.
Achievements alfred mahan is regarded as one of the most influential naval strategists of the nineteenth century. Mahans scholarly effort, in preparation for a teaching assignment at the naval war. Mahans first book, published in 1890, was about 600 pages and included 30. Influence of sea power upon history 16601783 abridged and influence of sea power upon the french revolution 17931812 excerpts capt. Mahan was a naval officer and historian whose writings were avidly studied in these. He concluded that supremacy at sea was essential for a nations political and commercial success. He is perhaps best known as the author of the 1890 book the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783, which advocated a navy of overwhelming force and is. Navy captain alfred thayer mahan wrote the influence of sea power upon history in 1890. This highly influential volume, first published in 1890, contains mahans analysis and discussions of the factors leading to britains naval domination in the eighteenth century, with strategic and tactical recommendations based on these factors. The influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 and the influence of sea power upon the french revolution and empire, 17931812. September 27, 1840 december 1, 1914 was a united states naval officer and historian, whom john keegan called the most important american strategist of the nineteenth century.
Alfred thayer mahan september 27, 1840 december 1, 1914 was a united states naval officer and historian, whom john keegan called the most important american strategist of the nineteenth century. The influence of seapower on defeat and victory had been neglected by historians, and captain mahan wrote this book in order to point out its high importance. The influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 work by mahan. The book was a classic and the kaiser had a copy of it placed in every german naval vessel. It details the role of sea power during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and discusses the various factors needed to support and achieve sea power, with emphasis on having the largest and most powerful fleet. This masterfully crafted ebook is a faithful and unabridged presentation of the. Alfred thayer mahan 18401914 was an american naval officer and lecturer.
War, once declared, must be waged offensively, aggressively, wrote the sage of american navalists, alfred mahan, in his seminal 1890 book, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783. The younger mahan had seen combat during the civil war before being appointed a lecturer at the us naval academy at annapolis. In 1890, a book was published that would forever change the way naval strategy was orchestrated. It details the role of sea power throughout history and discusses the various factors needed to support a strong navy.
654 1336 550 243 292 991 1184 1213 197 20 557 551 709 1225 408 1568 253 354 224 1229 1388 45 26 34 311 718 1135 581 1224 737 1496