how did the book the influence of power upon history affect the us

The dominant evidence was Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan's book, The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660- 1763 (1890). Equally significant were the new battleships utilizing Mahan's strategy of command of the sea and clearly displaying the industrial maturation of the United States.

Full Answer

Why was the influence of sea power Upon History important?

Mahan argued that British control of the seas, combined with a corresponding decline in the naval strength of its major European rivals, paved the way for Great Britain's emergence as the world's dominant military, political, and economic power.

What point was argued by the book The Influence of sea power upon History?

The book The Influence of Sea Power Upon History was a composition of secondary sources arranged by Captain Alfred Mahan to better understand naval strategy. He argued that strategy surpassed technology and that a national was only as powerful as its navy. His book influenced U.S. Presidents and foreign powers alike.

What did the Influence of sea power Upon History say?

Scholars considered it the single most influential book in naval strategy. Its policies were quickly adopted by most major navies, ultimately leading to the World War I naval arms race. It is also cited as one of the contributing factors of the United States becoming a great power.

How did Alfred T Mahan influence American expansionism?

By arguing that sea power—the strength of a nation's navy—was 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.

How does Mahan's argument in this quotation support the idea of imperialism?

Answer:Mahan argued that a strong navy would allow the United States to expand beyond its borders and become a world power. "Colonies attached to the mother-country afford, therefore, the surest means of supporting abroad the sea power of a country.

What does Mahan say about the importance of sea power?

Mahan argued that British control of the seas, combined with a corresponding decline in the naval strength of its major European rivals, paved the way for Great Britain's emergence as the world's dominant military, political, and economic power.

Who wrote the book The Influence of sea power upon History?

Alfred Thayer MahanThe Influence of Sea Power upon History / AuthorAlfred Thayer Mahan, published The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783 in 1890. Mahan's writings and lectures greatly influenced Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge, and other world leaders, including German Emperor Wilhelm II, shaping global policy based on sea power at the beginning of the 20th century.

Who wrote the book The Influence of sea power upon History in 1893?

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." His book The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 (1890) won immediate recognition, especially in Europe, and ...

Who propose the theory of sea power?

Mahan' s doctrine stated that: (1) The United States should be a world power; (2) Control of the seas is necessary for world power status; (3) The way to maintain such control is by a powerful Navy.

What reasons did Alfred T Mahan give to justify American imperialism?

In his writings and speeches, Mahan argued the following:Our increasing production demanded we expanded overseas and gain new markets.We must make sure that no nation owns islands within three thousand miles of San Francisco. This meant we had to gain control of Hawaii.A powerful navy must be built.

Which of the following three factors did Mahan believe were needed to build an American empire select the three best answers?

Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan, a widely-read military historian, and political allies such as Theodore Roosevelt argued that the United States must develop a modern navy, obtain new overseas bases, and secure critical lines of communication and commerce.

How did the writings of Alfred Thayer Mahan encourage United States imperialism quizlet?

How did the writings of Alfred Thayer Mahan encourage United States imperialism? His books demonstrated the importance of obtaining colonies for naval bases, increasing overseas trade, and building a canal in Central America.

Which trend brought about the establishment of the United States navy?

Destruction of U.S. commerce by Barbary pirates caused Congress to authorize the building of six frigates in 1794 and to establish the navy department on April 30, 1798.

What was the Pan American Conference quizlet?

The Pan-American Conference in 1889 was a meeting for the Pan-American Union, an international organization for cooperation on trade and other issues. This Union was first introduced by James G. Blaine of Maine in order to establish closer ties between the United States and its southern neighbors. DIPLOMATIC.

Which writer suggested naval strategies that the US could use to construct an empire?

Alfred Thayer Mahan was a leading imperialist who felt that national great- ness was based on a nation's naval power. He urged a large navy, a large mer- chant fleet, and colonies to serve as coaling stations and places for trade.

Who was the strategic thinker and Naval War College professor?

Perhaps most famous of all the college's contributions, Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan's lectures on the influence of sea power in the 1880s and early 1890s provided the basis for an early understanding of naval strategy.

What was the impact of the 1890s on the United States?

The 1890s were marked by social and economic unrest throughout the United States, which culminated in the onset of an economic depression between 1893 and 1894. The publication of Mahan’s books preceded much of the disorder associated with the 1890s, but his work resonated with many leading intellectuals and politicians concerned by the political and economic challenges of the period and the declining lack of economic opportunity on the American continent.

Who was the first person to write about the influence of sea power on the French Revolution?

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, 1660–1783, a revolutionary analysis of the importance of naval power as a factor in the rise of the British Empire. Two years later, he completed a supplementary volume, The Influence of Sea Power upon the French Revolution and Empire, 1793–1812 .

What was Mahan's emphasis on?

Mahan’s emphasis upon the acquisition of naval bases was not completely new. Following the Civil War, Secretary of State William Seward had attempted to expand the U.S. commercial presence in Asia by purchasing Alaska in 1867, and increasing American influence over Hawaii by concluding a reciprocity treaty that would bind the islands’ economy to that of the United States.

What did Mahan believe about the British?

Mahan argued that British control of the seas, combine d with a corresponding decline in the naval strength of its major European rivals, paved the way for Great Britain’s emergence as the world’s dominant military, political, and economic power. Mahan and some leading American politicians believed that these lessons could be applied to U.S. foreign policy, particularly in the quest to expand U.S. markets overseas.

Who was the proponent of Vigorous Foreign Policy?

Mahan was one of the foremost proponents of the “vigorous foreign policy” referred to by Turner. Mahan believed that the U.S. economy would soon be unable to absorb the massive amounts of industrial and commercial goods being produced domestically, and he argued that the United States should seek new markets abroad. What concerned Mahan most was ensuring that the U.S. Government could guarantee access to these new international markets.

Who was the first person to write about the importance of the frontier?

Mahan’s books complemented the work of one of his contemporaries, Professor Frederick Jackson Turner, who is best known for his seminal essay of 1893, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History.” An American history professor at the University of Wisconsin, Turner postulated that westward migration across the North American continent and the country’s population growth had finally led to the “closing” of the American frontier, with profound social and economic consequences. While Turner did not explicitly argue for a shift towards commercial expansion overseas, he did note that calls for a “vigorous foreign policy” were signs that Americans were increasingly looking outside the continental United States in order to satiate their desire for new economic opportunities and markets.

Who published the book The Influence of Sea Power Upon History: 1660–1783?

Title page of the twelfth edition. The Influence of Sea Power Upon History: 1660–1783 is a history of naval warfare published in 1890 by Alfred Thayer Mahan.

What was the influence of sea power on the US?

The Influence of Sea Power Upon History: 1660–1783 is a history of naval warfare published in 1890 by Alfred Thayer Mahan. 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. Scholars considered it the single most influential book in naval strategy. Its policies were quickly adopted by most major navies, ultimately leading to the World War I naval arms race. It is also cited as one of the contributing factors of the United States becoming a great power.

What countries did Mahan influence?

Mahan's strategic theories continue to be influential into the 21st century, especially in the newly emerging naval powers India and China.

What factors led to the supremacy of the seas?

He identified such features as geography, population, and government , and expanded the definition of sea power as comprising a strong navy and commercial fleet. Mahan also promoted the belief that any army would succumb to a strong naval blockade.

Why did the US pass the Guano Islands Act?

To expediate this process, the US Congress had previously passed the Guano Islands Act 1856 to allow citizen to take unclaimed islands for the US and allow extraction of this resource . This can be seen in the historic and continued owned island Territories of the United States.

What chapter is Suffren's brilliant naval campaign in the Indian Seas?

Chapter XII: Events in the East Indies, 1778–1781. Suffren Sails from Brest for India, 1781. His Brilliant Naval Campaign in the Indian Seas, 1782, 1783.

What was Roosevelt's push to start expansionism with the Spanish-American War?

There is noted influence on reading this book and Roosevelt's push to start expansionism with the Spanish-American War to secure resources and naval "highways" for ships across the Caribbean and Pacific - later influencing their ability to operate airstrips for World War I and World War II in places such as Guam .

What books have the most influence on history?

What books come to mind when you think of the texts that had the most influence on history? How about The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, the King James version of the Holy Bible or The Republic by Plato? Although not as well known, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, written by Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan and published in 1890, was a groundbreaking study that explained how the British Empire rose to power. An expert and lecturer in the field, Mahan was also the President of the U.S. Naval War College. His book, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, proved influential not only because of what it said, but also because of the impression it made on leaders ranging from American presidents to the German Kaiser.

Who wrote the book The Influence of Sea Power Upon History?

Although not as well known, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, written by Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan and published in 1890, was a groundbreaking study that explained how the British Empire rose to power. An expert and lecturer in the field, Mahan was also the President of the U.S. Naval War College. His book, The Influence of Sea Power Upon ...

How did the influence of sea power on history change?

While perhaps not as well known as books like The Communist Manifesto or The Republic, Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan's The Influence of Sea Power Upon History changed the course of naval history. Using the example of Great Britain from 1660 to 1783, the President of the U.S. Naval College showed how an emphasis on naval power helped Great Britain go from a middling state to a world power. In proposing that a country was only as strong as its naval presence, Mahan defined the latter as including not only a combat fleet, but also a merchant fleet. Other key factors included a country's ability to communicate, concentrate a fleet, fuel up and obtain supplies at sea.

What did Captain Mahan believe in?

Captain Mahan believed in the concept of a ' vigorous foreign policy ', an idea put forth by one of his contemporaries, Professor Frederick Jackson Turner. In considering the consequences of westward expansion, Turner suggested that the United States would have to look overseas to find new markets for its commercial and industrial products. To access these overseas markets, the United States would need three things: a merchant fleet to transport the goods, a combat fleet to protect the goods and an international naval base system to fuel and supply both the combat and merchant fleets.

What factors were considered in Mahan's proposal that a country was only as strong as its naval presence?

In proposing that a country was only as strong as its naval presence, Mahan defined the latter as including not only a combat fleet, but also a merchant fleet. Other key factors included a country's ability to communicate, concentrate a fleet, fuel up and obtain supplies at sea.

What was the influence of Captain Mahan's book on the Germans?

Failing that, the Germans recognized another way to reach the goals described by Mayer: submarine attacks on merchant ships. During the war, the German Navy used submarine fleets to sink merchant and civilian ships, such as the Lusitania; however, the German Navy was unable to destroy the British Grand Fleet. The Influence of Sea Power Upon History also influenced the strategic efforts of the Japanese Navy in World War II.

What factors were associated with the sea power?

Captain Mahan also cited some of the key factors associated with sea power, including a country's geography, government, national character and population. Communication and concentration of a fleet were also important to naval strength. Additionally, Mahan emphasized how naval strategies of the past could be used in the present.

What chapter is the English Revolution?

Select CHAPTER IV - ENGLISH REVOLUTION.—WAR OF THE LEAGUE OF AUGSBURG, 1688–1697. — SEA BATTLES OF BEACHY HEAD AND LA HOUGUE

What chapter is the course of events from the Peace of Paris to 1778?

Select CHAPTER IX - COURSE OF EVENTS FROM THE PEACE OF PARIS TO 1778. — MARITIME WAR CONSEQUENT UPON THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. — SEA BATTLE OFF USHANT

What does summary view mean in a book?

Book summary views reflect the number of visits to the book and chapter landing pages.

When was Mahan appointed to the Naval War College?

In 1885 he was appointed Lecturer in Naval History and Tactics at the US Naval War College, and became President of the institution between 1886–1889. This highly influential volume, first published in 1890, contains Mahan's analysis of naval warfare and tactics between 1660–1783.

When was the influence of sea power on history?

And the rest is history, if you know it. In 1890, Mahan published one of the most important books of the age, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783. It was not so much a history book as a book about “sea power,” of the naval type, and its “influence” on history.

What did Mahan write about sea power?

Mahan wrote of sea power as a basis for a nation’s fitness to play a great role in world affairs. He came up with compelling, navalist-oriented insights on matters of geography and territory, population and national character, and the soundness of a nation’s governance.

How did Mahan illustrate his central point?

Mahan illustrated his central point by explaining what happened to Portugal and Spain. Both nations rose to prominence by virtue of their explorations of the seas and were powerful naval states in the 16th and 17th centuries, with significant military capabilities.

How did Mahan combine naval operations and political and economic destiny?

BY PLACING THE need for a powerful Navy at the center of national interest, Mahan merged naval operations and political and economic destiny. Mahan looked at what was required within a nation, its economy, its politics, and its people to support naval power.

What did Mahan do during the Civil War?

The young Ensign Mahan served on the Union side during the Civil War, learning his naval profession by working on ships that supported the Northern blockade of the Southern ports. After the war, Mahan spent the next two decades making his career in the sea service.

Where was Mahan's book read?

Mahan’s book was read and studied in the wardrooms and war colleges and in the chancelleries and foreign ministries of France, Italy, Austro-Hungary, Sweden, Greece, Turkey, and many other nations.

What was the significance of Mahan's book?

Mahan’s book struck the highest levels of the governing classes like a bolt of lightning and created a tempest of intellectual upheaval not just within the U.S. Navy, but throughout the broader American (and overseas) political, economic, and industrial system. He had written a book about 200 years of naval history and about what that naval history meant to the rise and relationships of state power in the world.

What is the influence of thinkers and ideas on history?

Alfred Thayer Mahan stands out as one of the foremost thinkers on naval warfare and maritime strategy. 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 understanding ...

What did Mahan consider the decline of British power in the face of challenges from other great powers?

Mahan considered the decline of British power in the face of challenges from other great powers as the cardinal feature of the international system in the early twentieth century . He was concerned with Britain’s ability to hold its position in world affairs against rising great-power challengers.

How did Kaiser Wilhelm influence the German people?

The Kaiser sought to educate the German people into Mahan’s message. Where the Kaiser led, the German government and people followed. The eminent historian Friedrich Meinecke paid tribute to Wilhelm as the Flottenkaiser. The Kaiser, Meinecke intoned, “ceaselessly converted the nation and enticed it out onto the water . . . [and] he has the satisfaction of knowing that his conviction has become the conviction of the nation.” [13] To build the fleet, the Kaiser turned to Admiral Alfred Tirpitz, naming him navy secretary in 1897. Tirpitz wrote in his memoirs: “There was no way to the position of world-power than by building a fleet.” [14] By advocating the buildup of the navy, by stoking German nationalism and anti-British public opinion, by channeling popular passions toward the acquisition of naval weaponry to fight Britain at sea, Kaiser Wilhelm unintentionally contributed to his own downfall and Germany’s defeat in the Great War. By building a fleet against Britain, Germany raised British fears of a German super-state seeking European hegemony. One historian even argues: “Germany’s naval armament under Wilhelm II was a fundamental cause of the Anglo-German war.” [15] The choices in grand strategy made by Germany’s rulers — their decision to challenge Britain at sea — was conditioned in part by their reading of Mahan. The application by German leaders of Mahan’s writings on naval history and international relations was working to influence the unfolding of history in a destructive way.

How did Mahan contribute to the American public policy debate?

Mahan made an important contribution to public policy debates by helping to inform and educate Americans about the international strategic environment. He attempted to highlight the importance of the international balance of power for the security of the United States and how emerging geopolitical threats to Britain’s world position also posed a danger to American security. Theodore Roosevelt had reached the same conclusion: “we ourselves [the United States] are becoming, owing to our strength and geographical situation, more and more the balance of power of the whole world.” [29] Mahan argued that the United States needed to play a role — an increasingly important role — in upholding the balance of power on a global scale. Mahan was warning his American readers that “the age of free security” — to use C. Vann Woodward’s apt phrase — was passing away. [30] The security of the United States could no longer depend, as it largely did during the nineteenth century, on latent military power buttressed by the natural moat formed by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the icebound wastes of the Arctic. Instead, the United States was moving from an era of inexpensive security to expensive insecurity — from the “age of free security” to the age of “the national security state.”

Why was the concentration of naval force a strategic necessity?

Concentration of naval force was a strategic necessity because Mahan feared that a collapse of British power would usher in an era in which Germany was the leading world power. Unlike Britain, a satiated power, Germany was in Mahan’s assessment aggressive, expansionist, seeking new colonies. The growth of German power might result in a challenge to the United States’ position in the Western Hemisphere. Britain and the United States had a common interest in working to preserve the existing international order from which both benefited during the nineteenth century. Mahan argued that the United States was better off strengthening Britain’s strategic position rather than in undermining it. By aligning itself with Britain, the United States would be in a stronger position to contain German expansion. Faced by an Anglo-American strategic alignment, Germany might be deterred from foreign policy adventures. Theodore Roosevelt agreed that the United States needed to play a larger role in upholding the international system against any German attempt to overthrow it. Roosevelt bluntly told one German diplomat: “As long as England succeeds in keeping ‘the balance of power’ in Europe, not only in principle, but in reality, well and good; should she however for some reason or other fail in doing so, the United States would be obliged to step in at least temporarily, in order to restore the balance of power in Europe, never mind against which country or group of countries our efforts may have to be directed.” [22]

Why was Mahan so famous?

While made famous by the publication of The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, Mahan was also a close student of international relations and policy analyst of strategic affairs. Indeed, he sought to apply the study of history to understand foreign policy and strategy problems of his own day.

What did Mahan say about Norman Angell's The Great Illusion?

Mahan argued that the “entire conception of the work [by Angell] is itself an illusion based on a profound misreading of human action.”.

What did Mahan emphasize in his biography?

Mahan sought to resurrect Horatio Nelson as a national hero in Britain and used his biography as a platform for expressing his views on naval strategy and tactics.

What were the main ideas of Mahan?

Mahan emphasized that naval operations were chiefly to be won by decisive battles and blockades. In the 19th-century the United States sought greater control over its seaborne commerce in order to protect its economic interests which relied heavily on exports bound mainly for Europe.

Why did Tirpitz use Mahan?

Tirpitz used Mahan not only as a way of winning over German public opinion but also as a guide to strategic thinking. Before 1914, Tirpitz completely rejected commerce raiding as a strategy and instead embraced Mahan's ideal of a decisive battle of annihilation between two fleets as the way to win command of the seas.

How did Mahan die?

Mahan died in Washington, D.C., of heart failure on December 1, 1914, a few months after the outbreak of World War I.

Why did Mahan argue against the use of asphyxiating gases in warfare?

As a delegate to the 1899 Hague Convention, Mahan argued against prohibiting the use of asphyxiating gases in warfare on the ground that such weapons would inflict such terrible casualties that belligerents would be forced to end wars more quickly, thus providing a net advantage for world peace.

How did Mahan become Admiral?

In 1906, Mahan became rear admiral by an act of Congress that promoted all retired captains who had served in the American Civil War. At the outbreak of World War I, he published statements favorable to the cause of Great Britain, but in an attempt to enforce American neutrality, President Woodrow Wilson ordered that all active and retired officers refrain from publicly commenting on the war.

When did Mahan retire?

He returned to lecture at the War College and then, in 1896, he retired from active service, returning briefly to duty in 1898 to consult on naval strategy during the Spanish–American War .

Economic Depression of 1890s Lead Politicians to Re-Evaluate Mahan's Ideas

• The 1890s were marked by social and economic unrest throughout the United States, which culminated in the onset of an economic depression between 1893 and 1894. The publication of Mahan’s books preceded much of the disorder associated with the 1890s, but his work resonated with many leading intellectuals and politicians concerned by the political a...

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Mahan Argued That United States Had to Find Foreign Markets For Its Goods

Mahan Advocating Creating Us Naval Bases Around The World

Conclusion

Summary

Overview

Table of contents

Impact on naval thought

See also

Further reading

External links