These opening quotations form the foundation of alfred thayer mahans most famous book, the influence of sea power upon history, published in 1890. The purpose of this biography is to depict alfred thayer mahan, as a boy and a man, as a naval officer and a writer, as the exponent of sea power and the apostle of expansion. Alfred thayer mahan was a naval admiral who was a very effective advocate of imperialism. The influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 by. Wrote the influence of sea power upon history, which argued that control of the sea was the key to world dominance. See all books authored by alfred thayer mahan, including the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783, and the influence of sea power upon history 16601805, and more on. His father was an officer at the united states military academy at west point and a professor of civil and military engineering.
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 books list of books by author alfred. History, 16601783, the first of twenty books and twentythree essays on this broad subject. Alfred thayer mahan was born on 27 september 1840 at west point, new. 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. List of books and articles about alfred thayer mahan online.
Shop amongst our popular books, including 283, sea power and the war of 1812 volume 1, types of naval officers drawn from the history of the british navy and more from alfred thayer mahan. The monumental text addressed the importance of both military and commercial fleets in the success of a nation in war and peacetime. Alfred thayer mahan project gutenberg selfpublishing. Early life alfred thayer mahan was born on september 27. His writings influenced every naval program the world over. The book had great impact on navies around the world, and its. Alfred thayer mahan, a maritime historian, examines the united states relationship with naval forces in the past, and attempts to forecast the countrys future as a naval power. Naval visionary charles race in 1890, an obscure naval officer from a thirdrate naval power published a book which shaped the course of the 19th and early 20th century arms race and naval strategy. Alfred thayer mahan was born on september 27, 1840, in west point, new york, united states. Mahan was a product, and a reflection, of his time.
His book the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 won immediate recognition, especially in europe, and with its successor, the influence of sea power upon the french revolution and empire, 17931812, made him worldfamous and perhaps the most influential american author of the nineteenth century. Yale university press, 1939 robert seager, alfred thayer mahan. In 1890, captain alfred thayer mahan, a lecturer in naval history and the. Other articles where the interest of america in sea power, present and future is discussed.
Organized force alone enables the quiet and the weak to go about their business and to sleep securely in their beds, safe from the violent without or within. Captain alfred thayer mahan is among the most influential and important figures in modern history. The theories of alfred thayer mahan, however, did quite a bit to influence not only the u. Alfred thayer mahan was a great strategist, and believed heavily in the power of a countrys navy. 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. He was known to be the most important american strategist of. Young mahan spent his early years at west point, until he was sent to a boarding school in maryland, st. The influence of sea power upon history in 1890, mahan published one of the most important books of the age, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783. This is a wonderfully well written book by a sea captain who had a gift for both. Alfred thayer mahan quotes author of the influence of sea. Alfred thayer mahan september 27, 1840 december 1, 1914 was a united states navy flag officer, geostrategist, and historian, who has been called the most important american strategist of the nineteenth century. The influence of sea power upon history, 16601783, by.
Alfred thayer mahan was born on september 27, 1840, in west point, new york, where his father was a professor of military engineering at the united states military academy. Perhaps the greatest naval theorist of the modern period, captain alfred thayer mahan, was afraid of sea duty and avoided it as much as possible, was inclined to seasickness, and was inclined to wreck the ships he did command. Mahan on naval warfare dover maritime by alfred thayer mahan paperback. Mahan s thesis that for an nation to be great it had to be a sea power was immensely influential in the growth of the german navy prior to world war 1 and the expansion of the us into overseas areas. Byron king recounts the life, thoughts, and literary career of alfred thayer mahan, one of the giants of naval military thought.
How did alfred thayer mahans ideas influence imperialism. Mahans lecture notes become the basis for his book, the influence of sea power upon history, published in 1890. Captain alfred thayer mahan is among the most influential. In 1890, us navy captain alfred thayer mahan wrote a landmark book entitled, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783. His key concepts and theories all laid bare at the turn of the 20th century all in one book. Fur seine verdienste im burgerkrieg beforderte prasident theodore. An ideological criticism of the rhetoric of captain alfred thayer mahan, usn, in american magazines of the eighteennineties. The life and work of captain alfred thayer mahan 1939. He died in washington, dc on 1 december 1914, and is buried at quogue, long island. Alfred thayer mahan was a united states historian and naval officer born on 27th september 1840. Alfred thayer mahan, born september 27, 1840, west point, new york, u.
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. The interest of america in sea power, present and future. He concluded that supremacy at sea was essential for a nations political and commercial success. Livezey, mahan on sea power 1947, which contains the essential biographical information while placing mahan s. Alfred thayer mahan was a united states naval officer and historian, whom john keegan called the most important american strategist of the nineteenth century. He studied at columbia college for two years before entering the naval academy at annapolis, maryland. 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. Mahans thesis that for an nation to be great it had to be a sea power was immensely influential in the growth of the german navy prior to world war 1 and the expansion of the us into overseas areas. Alfred thayer mahan was a united states navy admiral, geostrategist, and historian, who has been called the most important american strategist of the nineteenth century. Mahan became a worldwide celebrity almost overnight and has remained one.
The influence of sea power upon history 1890 alfred. Alfred thayer mahans rise from obscure sea captain to international acclaim in the space of four years was improbable to say the least. 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. The life and work of captain alfred thayer mahan hardcover january 1, 1942 see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Mahan preached the importance of naval power to a nations success in trade and growth in power and influence, based on his reading of the history of the wars of the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries, mostly around europe but also in the indian. Book cover of the 12th edition of thayer mahans the influence of sea power upon. He shows how most nations invested and judged their strength by the ground forces raised. Mahan served as president of the american historical association in 1902. His book the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 1890 won immediate recognition, especially in europe, and with. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. Naval institute press, 1977 charles carlisle taylor, the life of admiral mahan, 1920, london. Livezey, mahan on sea power 1947, which contains the essential biographical information while placing mahans. His concept of sea power, most famously presented in the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783 1890, had an enormous influence in shaping the strategic thought of. While in actual command of a ship, his skills were.
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 books free pdf books bookyards. Selections from the writings of rear admiral alfred thayer mahan by rear adm. Captain alfred thayer mahan s book of 1890, the influence of sea power upon history, 16601783, argued that control of the sea was the key to world dominance. The author, however, is a navy captain, and his exclusively naval viewpoint should be supplemented with william e. Nov 04, 2017 alfred thayer mahan, a maritime historian, examines the united states relationship with naval forces in the past, and attempts to forecast the countrys future as a naval power. The life and work of captain alfred thayer mahan new haven. The younger mahan, however, attended annapolis and embarked on a naval career seeing duty in the south atlantic and gulf of mexico against the confederacy. Collection of his lectures given at the naval war college between 1887 and 1911. In the book, the influence of sea power upon history, mahan claimed that countries with sea power were the great nations of history. Mahan begins with a discussion of the elements he considers to be the key to a nations. Background in 1904, while mahan was continuing to author books, the scholar halford mackinder presented to the british royal geographical society his view that the era of 400 years of sea.
In the influence of sea power upon history, alfred thayer mahan studied the rise and fall of naval powers. 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 is the son of dennis hart and mary helena mahan. 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. Alfred thayer mahan a moment in time with dan roberts. Aug 04, 2016 alfred thayer mahan was a united states navy admiral, geostrategist, and historian, who has been called the most important american strategist of the nineteenth century. Any discussion of naval theory must account for his immensely successful book the influence of sea power upon history. Mahan also believed that america should at least acquire defensive bases in the caribbean and the pacific and take. 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. 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. In 1890, united states navy captain alfred thayer mahan published a book titled the influence of sea power upon history. 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. Writing at the close of the nineteenth century, mahan realized that the united states was at the threshold of becoming a major world power.