The Relevance of Mahanian Theory in the Nuclear Age

Abstract

It is generally accepted that Alfred Thayer Mahan was the first prominent historian to articulate the role of sea power as a basis for national policy. Less accepted, however, is Mahan's relevance today in light of the vast technological changes which have clearly modified the employment of seapower since he conducted his review of seventeenth and eighteenth century military--and especially, British naval history. The most elegant statement of Mahan's continued relevance in the face of such far reaching developments as nuclear power, nuclear weapons, and missile and space technology is that sea power as an element of national power has not disappeared in the nuclear age as many predicted. Moreover, it has remained such an important element that a new sea power emerged in the form of the Soviet Union.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1991
Accession Number
ADA437805

Entities

People

  • Dennis P. Curry

Organizations

  • National War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Bodies Of Water
  • Deterrence
  • Military Organizations
  • Naval Warfare
  • Navy
  • Nuclear Warfare
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Oceans
  • Second World War
  • Ships
  • Submarine Warfare
  • Submarines
  • War
  • Warfare
  • Weapons

Readers

  • Maritime and Naval Warfare Studies
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Theoretical Analysis.

Technology Areas

  • Space