![]() ![]() ![]() In any one of these ways the influence of the government will be felt, making or marring the sea power of the country in the matter of peaceful commerce upon which alone, it cannot be too often insisted, a thoroughly strong navy can be based. To turn now from the particular lessons drawn from the history of the past to the general question of the influence of government upon the sea career of its people, it is seen that that influence can work in two distinct but closely related ways.įirst, in peace: The government by its policy can favor the natural growth of a people's industries and its tendencies to seek adventure and gain by way of the sea or it can try to develop such industries and such sea-going bent, when they do not naturally exist or, on the other hand, the government may, by mistaken action check and fetter the progress which the people left to themselves would make. Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm had copies of Mahan's books placed on every ship in the German High Seas Fleet and the Japanese government put translations in its imperial bureaus. But control of the seas would also require the acquisition of naval bases and coaling stations. To become a major naval power, the United States began to replace its wooden sailing ships with steel vessels powered by coal or oil in 1883. "Whoever rules the waves rules the world," Mahan wrote. ![]() Mahan, a naval strategist and the author of The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, argued that national prosperity and power depended on control of the world's sea-lanes. Several ships, including the USS Mahan, were named in his honor. He emphasized the importance of sea power and was inspirational in establishing navies around the world. Alfred Thayer Mahan was influential in helping to build-up naval defenses before World War I. ![]()
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