Instructions: Identify the Following

Question

Examlex · Accepted Answer

The Answer is Alfred Thayer Mahan (September 27, 1840 – December 1, 1914) was a United States Navy admiral, geostrategist, and historian, who has been called "the most important American strategist of the nineteenth century." His ideas on the importance of sea power influenced navies around the world, and helped prompt naval buildups before World War I. Several ships were named USS Mahan, including the lead vessel of a class of destroyers.

Mahan's most famous work, "The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783," published in 1890, argued that national greatness was inextricably associated with the sea, with naval strength being a key factor in the rise of the British Empire. He posited that control of the sea was the key to world dominance and urged the United States to build a powerful navy. Mahan stressed the importance of the navy in not just naval warfare, but also in the protection of international shipping lanes, communication, and commerce.

His theories profoundly influenced the navies of many nations, leading to a race for naval supremacy in the early 20th century. The concepts articulated by Mahan were adopted by many nations, notably influencing the naval strategies of powers like the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and the United States. His work inspired the United States to expand its naval power, which played a significant role in American imperialism and the country's rise as a world power.

Mahan's emphasis on sea power also played a part in the development of the "Great White Fleet," which was a powerful United States naval fleet that circumnavigated the globe from December 16, 1907, to February 22, 1909. The demonstration of naval strength was a clear application of his theories on the importance of sea power and served as a show of U.S. global reach and blue-water naval capabilities.

In summary, Alfred T. Mahan was a key figure in naval strategy whose ideas on the importance of sea power changed the way nations viewed and invested in their navies. His work had a lasting impact on global naval strategies and the development of naval warfare leading up to and through the 20th century.

Instructions: Identify the Following

Definitions: