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why did the united states need a strong navy

by Darrick Lockman Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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The United States needed a strong navy because it was a young country with a lot of coastline to protect. It also needed to be able to defend its interests abroad and project its power around the world.

Although the United States had no overseas colonies to protect, business and government leaders realized that a strong navy was essential to defend trade and growing international interests. Beginning in 1881, Congress supported a modernization program that would make the American navy effective.

Full Answer

Why do we need a strong navy?

A strong U.S. Navy will help them protect their sea trades and combating terrors The main reason was at the heart of the creation of the U.S. navy—to avoid having to fight on U.S. soil. This was reiterated famously by Admiral Chester Nimitz, who said…

Does the United States need a stronger naval force?

The U.S., as a beneficiary of the global economy, should continue to maintain robust naval forces, as they provide a great return on investment for stability, deter potential adversaries and aggressors, and reassure allies and partners who support the security of U.S. interests and economic freedom around the globe.

Why does the United States need a large standing army?

The United States is alone on a continent with two small friendly countries; a navy is pretty much all it needs for defence. Why it needs a large standing army is a better question. U. S. Navy is an expeditionary force. The U. S. Navy takes the fight to the enemy so the fight is not on U. S. soil.

Why does the United States have a large navy?

Historically countries would have a navy and marines corps to protect economic interests abroad (colonies, resources) and no standing army. The United States has a large number of global economic ties it needs to protect, and so it has a large navy to do so. In economics there is an idea called “growing the pie.”

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Why did the U.S. need a strong navy in Spanish American War?

Traditionally the navy embraced a defensive strategy with an emphasis on commerce raiding. In contrast, the navy was asked during the Spanish-American War to gain control of the waters around the Philippine Islands and the Caribbean Sea.

Why does the U.S. need a navy?

The United States is a maritime nation, and the U.S. Navy protects America at sea. Alongside our allies and partners, we defend freedom, preserve economic prosperity, and keep the seas open and free. Our nation is engaged in long-term competition.

Why do you think the U.S. was building a stronger navy in the late 1800s?

European imperialism threatened America's security. United States Navy Captain Alfred T. Mahan suggested that a nation needed a large navy to protect its merchant ships and to defend its right to trade with other countries. He felt it necessary to acquire territory overseas for naval bases.

Does the U.S. have a strong navy?

The United States Navy emerged from World War II as the most powerful navy in the world. The modern United States Navy maintains a sizable global presence, deploying in strength in such areas as the Western Pacific, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean.

Why would having a large navy help put the United States in a position of world power?

By its use of the sea, which covers nearly three-quarters of the earth, a navy can do things that land-based forces cannot. It can provide extraordinary access to points of interest around the globe, patrolling vital waterways and maneuvering to distant shores and population centers.

How important was the navy in ww2?

The United States Navy grew rapidly during World War II from 1941–45, and played a central role in the Pacific theatre in the war against Japan. It also played a major supporting role, alongside the Royal Navy, in the European war against Germany.

Why did the United States need a strong navy quizlet?

United States Navy Captain Alfred T. Mahan suggested that a nation needed a large navy to protect its merchant ships and to defend its right to trade with other countries. He felt it necessary to acquire territory overseas for naval bases.

When did the U.S. have the strongest navy?

The largest naval fleet of all time belonged to the United States during World War II. At its peak, the U.S. Navy consisted of 6,768 vessels. Since that peak, most countries around the world have reduced the size of their navies, investing in fewer, but more capable ships or other assets entirely.

How did the United States expand its navy so quickly?

How did the United States expand its navy so quickly? It exempted shipyard workers from the draft, used a public relations campaign to stress the importance of shipbuilding, used fabrication construction techniques, and took control of private ships for transatlantic duty.

What country had the strongest navy?

The US Navy holds the distinction of the most powerful and capable navy in the world. The star of the US fleet –The stealthy and technologically advanced destroyers. These are the largest destroyers ever built, primarily deployed for land attack.

Who had the strongest navy in history?

The mightiest navy of all time was the United States Navy of 1945 as WWII ended. After the disastrous Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the navy grew from 790 ships in December 1941 to 6,768 ships by August 1945. America won a two-ocean war.

Is the U.S. Navy the most powerful in the world?

Currently, the US Navy with 293 ships is the most formidable naval force in the world.

In what ways did the US Navy change during the 1880s?

In 1882, the U.S. Navy consisted of many outdated ship designs. Over the next decade, Congress approved building multiple modern steel-hulled armored cruisers and battleships, and by around the start of the 20th century had moved from twelfth place in 1870 to fifth place in terms of numbers of ships.

Why did the U.S. develop a navy?

Created by Congress in April 1798, the Department of the Navy has its earliest roots in the Continental navy formed in 1775 by General George Washington to defend the American colonies from British attack.

Why did the Kaiser want to build a strong navy?

The Kaiser had long wanted a large naval force to assure Germany of what he called "a place in the sun". A large German navy could assist in German attempts to attain colonies, as well as further the country's economic and commercial interests elsewhere in the world.

Who has the most powerful navy in the world in the late 1800s?

From the middle decades of the 17th century, and through the 18th century, the Royal Navy vied with the Dutch Navy and later with the French Navy for maritime supremacy. From the mid 18th century, it was the world's most powerful navy until the Second World War....Royal NavyFounded154631 more rows

Why is the Navy important?

The Navy is an essential seaborne branch of the military of the United States. It is necessary for sea control, power projection, and nuclear deterrence in addition to sealift duties and sometimes humanitarian assistance worldwide.

What is the Navy's role in the Cold War?

Nuclear Deterrence - By maintaining a nuclear force including submarines with ICBMs, the Navy is a deterrent for another nation to launch an attack, nuclear or otherwise on the US. The concept of mutual assured destruction (MAD) still remains well after the Cold War.

What brought the United States into the war?

The attack on Pearl Harbor which brought the United States into the war, the German attacks on US shipping off the coast of New Jersey, the invasion of Alaska, and the pursuit of the war across broad expanses of ocean made it clear that the mere existence of oceans was not an effective safeguard against attack on the United States itself.

Why the US and not somebody else?

The US mainland, situated as it is, had, until WWII, remained essentially unmolested after 1812. It is blessed with great resources , a stable political system, and a growing, resilient, economy. By contrast, the nations in the eastern hemisphere were a mixture of political systems and economies, and burdened with a history of conflict among themselves. The only country with both the means and the incentive to act globally was the United States.

Why did WWII come so quickly?

That WWII came so quickly after the disarmament following WWI was an ample demonstration of the folly of not being ready, at the doorsteps of aggressor nations, for the next conflict . WWII not only decided the outcome of the conflict for which it was named, but also was the means by which the US had moved military assets into place as a preventative measure in the future.

What is the Navy's mission?

The mission of the Navy is to maintain, train and equip combat-ready naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas.

Why is it impossible to make a war on the US?

It’s impossible for anyone to make conventional war on the USA because the combination of our geography and our Navy give us an unbelievable level of security. No one in the USA in generations has ever woken up to the sound of tanks rumbling in the streets and artillery and bombs going off in the distance. Americans take this peace for granted, most have never seen how things are in the more volatile regions of the world. Anyone who has served in the military overseas knows exactly what I mean when I say it’s a blessing to live a life so far removed from combat that you can’t even imagine it.

What are the backbones of the global economy?

The cargo ships on the seas and the cables undersea are the backbones of today’s global economy. As the U.S. has benefitted from these cost-effective means of transferring goods and services, vulnerability at sea has also grown. Much of the world’s oil and goods are shipped through two chokepoints: the Strait of Hormuz (bordered by Iran) ...

Why do ships go on longer deployments?

This has resulted in ships going on longer deployments, which in turn causes deferred maintenance work and sailors spending more time at sea, away from their families. Eventually, deferred maintenance and stretched sailors will lead to broken ships and broken sailors.

Where does Brian Slattery work?

Brian Slattery is a Policy Analyst for National Security in the Center for National Defense at The Heritage Foundation. He supports all research efforts on defense policy and specifically focuses on U.S. Coast Guard issues and Arctic security policy. He also manages the production of the annual Index of U.S. Military Strength. Prior to joining Heritage, Slattery served as a Defense Research Assistant for Congressman J. Randy Forbes of the U.S. House of Representatives, where he supported the Congressman’s military affairs portfolio. Brian earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs with a business concentration from Xavier University, while also earning a minor in Classical Humanities. He earned a Master of Public Policy degree with a focus in national security from the George Mason University School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs. He and his wife Elizabeth live in Silver Spring, MD.

How much of the world's goods are transported on the seas?

Protecting Economic Prosperity. Around 90 percent of the world’s goods are transported on the seas, and 99 percent of transoceanic data traffic is currently transmitted via submarine cables. Nearly all electronic financial transactions between the U.S. and other continents run through these cables, along with emails and phone calls.

When did the Navy protect trade?

Indeed, the U.S. Navy was protecting trade and commerce as early as 1801 when U.S. leaders decided to take action against Barbary pirates who constantly kidnapped the crew of American ships and held them for ransom in the Mediterranean. As America’s economy rose to prominence, its reliance on freedom of navigation rose as well.

Which countries have territorial disputes with China?

China has increasingly bullied its neighbors in the South and East China Seas, where major U.S. trading partners and treaty allies such as Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines have territorial disputes with China.

Who is Brian Slattery?

Brian Slattery is a Policy Analyst for National Security in the Center for National Defense at The Heritage Foundation. He supports all research efforts on defense policy and specifically focuses on U.S. Coast Guard issues and Arctic security policy.

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