In 1890, mahan published one of the most important books of the age, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783. Pdf the influence of alfred thayer mahan upon the imperial. Young mahan spent his early years at west point, until he was sent to a boarding school in maryland, st. In 1890, mahan published his first of over 20 books about naval and sea power. In his writings and speeches, mahan argued the following. Our selfimposed isolation in the matter of markets. Alfred thayer mahan september 27, 1840december 1, 1914 was a us navy flag officer, geostrategist, and historian.
Mahan, the united states looking outward, atlantic monthly, lxvi december, 1890, 81624. Mahan also believed that america should at least acquire defensive bases in the caribbean and the pacific and take. He died in washington, dc on 1 december 1914, and is buried at quogue, long island. Indications are not wanting of an approaching change in the thoughts an. Alfred thayer mahan 18401914 was the first modern military theorist to attempt to explain the influence of sea power in a systematic way. Captain alfred thayer mahan argued in the influence of sea. Germanys kaiser wilhelm had copies of mahans books placed on every ship in the. The united states looking outwards, alfred thayer mahan. Alfred thayer mahan and the coming of the first world war. In 1890, mahan published his book, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783. Alfred thayer mahan was born on 27 september 1840 at west point, new york, where his father, dennis hart mahan, was a distinguished professor of civil and military engineering at the us military academy. December 1, 2014, was the 100th anniversary of the death of alfred thayer mahan.
Read the interest of america in sea power, present and future by alfred thayer mahan available from rakuten kobo. His lectures at the college formed the basis for his two major works, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783, published in 1890, and the influence of sea power upon the french revolution and empire, 17931812, published two years later. His most prominent work, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783, had a widespread impact on navies around the world. The mahanian scholar, jon tetsuro sumida, has asserted that the political economic.
Alfred thayer mahans at the time of original publication mahan was a. Mahan translation, english dictionary definition of alfred t. Alfred thayer mahans most popular book is the influence of sea power upon history, 1660. Books by alfred thayer mahan author of the influence of sea. Source for information on mahan, alfred t the oxford companion to. Alfred thayer mahan 18401914 was a naval strategist, historian, and leading advocate of a powerful u. Alfred thayer mahan author of the influence of sea power. Alfred thayer mahan introduction alfred thayer mahans study of history led him to strongly believe that a nations sea power determined its economic wealth and international prominence. The influence of sea power upon history 1890 alfred.
His most important thesis was that the country with the most powerful navy can have the greatest influence in the world. His concept of sea power was based on the idea that countries with greater naval power will have greater worldwide impact. Teddy read mahans book and decided to adopt many of mahans theories and get more. The influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 work by mahan. Born to mary okill and dennis hart mahan, the latter a professor of civil and military engineering at west point, mahan became a career naval officer. Mahan s influential 1890 book asserted that a the great empires of history had great navies b infantry was more important in wartime than ships c establishing naval bases around the world was unimportant d the u. By that time his ideas were well known, and he argued widely and publicly that the time had come for the. Explaining englands success was one mission of captain alfred thayer mahan, united states navy usn. Alfred thayer mahan was a naval admiral who was a very effective advocate of imperialism. His vision for the united states included overseas colonies and control of a canal linking the. 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. How did alfred thayer mahans ideas influence imperialism. Mahans scholarly effort, in preparation for a teaching assignment at the naval war. The philosophy of rear admiral alfred thayer mahan can be perfectly encapsulated within this quote from his article the united states looking outward in the december 1890 issue of atlantic monthly.
Alfred thayer mahan, the influence of sea power on history, 16601783. In the book, the influence of sea power upon history, mahan claimed that countries with sea power were the great nations of history. The influence of sea power upon history, 1660 1783 by alfred. Alfred thayer mahan, american naval officer and historian who was a highly. The government by its policy can favor the natural growth of a peoples industries and its tendencies to seek adventure and gain by way of the sea.
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. Alfred thayer mahan united states naval officer and historian mahan. In this book he argued for the paramount importance of sea power in national. Mahan was a united states of america navy admiral, strategist and historian.
The book had great impact on navies around the world, and its. 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. He perceived in germany a restless need for selfassertion and expansion. Indications are not wanting of an approaching change in the thoughts and policy of. Jun 30, 2014 a year later, in his book naval strategy, mahan bluntly asserted that the balance of power no longer exists. Alfred thayer mahan was influential in helping to build up naval defenses before world war i. The united states looking outwards, alfred thayer mahan, 1890 alfred thayer mahan was a u. Sep 01, 2004 his lectures at the college formed the basis for his two major works, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783, published in 1890, and the influence of sea power upon the french revolution and empire, 17931812, published two years later.
Mahans influence of sea power upon history in 1890 was characterized by vacillation, indecision, and frustration. Alfred thayer mahan was a united states navy flag officer, geostrategist, and historian, who has been called the most important american strategist of the nineteenth century. He is considered to be one of the most important american strategist in the 19th century. He also became a historian and strategic analyst upon his appointment to the new naval war. Mahan, the united states looking outward the atlantic monthly, december, 1890. Alfred thayer mahan 18401914 naval historian columbia college 185418567 by arguing that sea powerthe strength of a nations navywas the key to strong foreign policy, alfred thayer mahan shaped american military planning and helped prompt a worldwide naval race in. He wrote a great book about the use of sea power for militaryeconomic domination. Nov 10, 20 alfred thayer mahan 18401914 was the first modern military theorist to attempt to explain the influence of sea power in a systematic way. Cse for the new navy, 18801890 by robert seager ii american foreign policy throughout the tenyear period preceding the publication of admiral alfred t. In his influence of sea power upon history, 16601783, published in 1890, mahan plainly stated england dominated the world because of her holy naval trinity of merchant shipping, colonies, and, most importantly, her navy. Excerpts from the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 1890 by alfred thayer mahan first, in peace. A year later, in his book naval strategy, mahan bluntly asserted that the balance of power no longer exists. In 1890 mahan published his college lectures as the influence of sea power. He emphasized the importance of sea power and was inspirational in establishing navies around the world.
In 1890 mahan published his college lectures as the influence of sea power upon. Admiral alfred thayer mahan was an admiral like his father before him. Alfred thayer mahan united states naval officer and. 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. That which i deplore, and which is a sober, just, and reasonable cause of deep national concern, is that the nation neither has nor cares to. In 1890 mahan, published this book while president of the us naval war. 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. Alfred thayer mahan 18401914 was an american naval officer who wrote extensively on naval strategy and the history of sea power. Captain alfred thayer mahan argued in the influence of sea power upon history 1890 that a nations greatness depended on its navy, and that countries with the greatest fleets played a decisive role in shaping history. 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. The proponents of a strong navy also recognized the value of overseas trade.
Mahan, boston, little, brown, and company, 1919, also by allan f. In 1890, after reading theodore mommsens multivolume history of rome which. Alfred thayer mahan and the coming of the first world war the. Alfred thayer mahan, published the influence of sea power upon history. Alfred thayer mahan has 96 books on goodreads with 4936 ratings. Indications are not wanting of an approaching change in the thoughts and policy of americans as to their relations with the world outside their own borders. Alfred thayer mahan writes the influence of sea power upon history. Thus mahan s ideas formed much of the basis for american imperialism. Mahan was, naturally, widely admired among the british. Alfred thayer mahan 18401914 naval historian columbia college 185418567 by arguing that sea powerthe strength of a nations navywas the key to strong foreign policy, alfred thayer mahan shaped american military planning and helped prompt a worldwide naval race in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Alfred thayer mahan definition of alfred thayer mahan by. Mahans most famous work was the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 1890, which became one of the most influential books on strategy and foreign policy ever written.
The influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 alfred. Excerpts from the influence of sea power upon history. The united states looking outwards, alfred thayer mahan, 1890. Alfred thayer mahan biography alfred thayer mahan september 27, 1840december 1, 1914 was a us navy flag officer, geostrategist, and historian.
Since men live upon the land and not upon the sea, great issues 3 ibid. Alfred thayer, 18401914 an online book about this author is available, as is a wikipedia article mahan, a. Story of the war in south africa 18991900 by alfred thayer mahan the war in south africa has been no exception to the general rule that the origin of current events is to be sought in the history of the past, and their present course to be understood by an appreciation of existing. I forget what its called but it argued great nations could only achieve hegemony through a large, powerful, modern navy. Our increasing production demanded we expanded overseas and gain new markets.
Dec 30, 2014 one hundred years later, the insights of the american strategist continue to have extraordinary relevance today. Navy officer and military historian who believed that national security and commercial prosperity depended on a strong naval force. Alfred thayer mahan synonyms, alfred thayer mahan pronunciation, alfred thayer mahan translation, english dictionary definition of alfred thayer mahan. Indeed, he might be considered the thinker on sea power, the essential starting point for studying the course and conduct of war at sea and for. The government by its policy can favor the natural growth of a peoples industries and.
The primary one is the assertion that naval power is a deciding factor for everyone. One hundred years later, the insights of the american strategist continue to have extraordinary relevance today. From his studies of naval warfare he drew principles of strategy that greatly influenced the development and employment of naval forces during the first half of the. In 1890, mahan published one of the most important books of the age, the influence of. A civil war veteran, teaches at the naval war college. Alfred thayer mahan writes the influence of sea power upon history mahan. Mahan published the influence of sea power upon history in 1890 mahan s book played an influential role in shaping late 19thcentury american policy toward the. December 1, 2014, was the 100th anniversary of the death of. 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. Books by alfred thayer mahan author of the influence of. Thus mahans ideas formed much of the basis for american imperialism. His book the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 1890 won immediate recognition, especially in europe, and with. Story of the war in south africa 18991900 by alfred. The geopolitical vision of alfred thayer mahan the diplomat.
17 895 1402 1042 392 268 1523 278 1247 307 967 180 1602 1050 706 43 306 1234 313 448 617 1071 1461 504 335 65 192 323 1119