This edited volume comprises a series of essays about Patrick Maynard Stewart Blackett, one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century, as well as a prominent figure in the Royal Navy and British politics.
Blackett was battle-hardened in World War I and contributed directly to the Allied victory in World War II. Showing precocious ability in mechanical invention and benefiting from the Royal Navy's revolutionary education - the most advanced available in Britain in the early 1900s - Blackett had gone to war in 1914 aged 16. Escaping death and drowning, he saw action in two major battles, and spent several gruelling years on patrol in small ships. When the Royal Navy sent its young officers to be "civilized" at Cambridge after World War I, Blackett decided to stay on.
Blackett would go on to become one of the most remarkable scientists of his generation, winning the Nobel Prize for physics in 1948 for his work on cloud chambers. He also helped prepare Britain for war, working with Henry Tizard in the 1930s on the Committee for the Scientific Survey of Air Defence, which led to the installation of radar stations, and later developing the science of operational research, which helped defeat the U-boat menace. Although not a pacifist, he was strongly opposed both to nuclear weapons and to indiscriminate bombing, on grounds of morality and efficacy. Blackett would go on to advise Harold Wilson in Britain and Jawarharlal Nehru in India on defence and science policy. Throughout his life, Blackett would keep the commanding presence and habits of a naval officer, which helped him apply his influence.

Captain Glenn F. Howell kept a detailed account of his activities in China for 62 years. His journals now make up 202 leather-bound volumes--one of the largest sources in existence, perhaps the largest, of servicemens observations of service in China during that countrys struggle to oust one power and come to grips with a new one between World War I and II. This work presents Howells diary from June 6, 1920, to September 23, 1921, during which time he commanded the naval gunboat USS Palos on the Yangtze River. First comes a biography of Howell, an overview of Chinese history from 1800 to 1920, and a history of the United States military involvement in China during those years. Howells time as commander of the USS Palos is divided into three sections. Preceding each, the editor comments on the nature of the upcoming diary entries. Howell covers a range of topics, including the Chinese people, various important locales (e.g., the Three Gorges), making official visits, (his first as a captain), officer-enlisted man relations, opium, the steam navy, people who influenced him (S. Cornell Plant and Captain Joseph Miclo, skipper of the Meitan), missionaries and other foreigners in China (including U.S. military retirees), and "trackers" (Chinas human beasts of burden.)

This challenging new book argues that the People's Republic of China is pursuing a long-term strategy to extend its national power by sea.

This analysis of naval engagements during the War Between the States presents the action from the efforts at Fort Sumter during the secession of South Carolina in 1860, through the battles in the Gulf of Mexico, on the Mississippi River, and along the eastern seaboard, to the final attack at Fort Fisher on the coast of North Carolina in January 1865. This work provides an understanding of the maritime problems facing both sides at the beginning of the war, their efforts to overcome these problems, and their attempts, both triumphant and tragic, to control the waterways of the South. The Union blockade, Confederate privateers and commerce raiders are discussed, as is the famous battle between the Monitor and the Merrimack. An overview of the events in the early months preceding the outbreak of the war is presented. The chronological arrangement of the campaigns allows for ready reference regarding a single event or an entire series of campaigns. Maps and an index are also included.

'Compelling' Sunday Times 'A triumph' Daily Mirror 'Gripping' Jonathan Dimbleby 1941. The Battle of the Atlantic is a disaster. Thousands of supply ships ferrying vital food and fuel from North America to Britain are being torpedoed by German U-boats. Britain is only weeks away from starvation - and with that, crushing defeat. In the first week of 1942 a group of unlikely heroes - a retired naval captain and a clutch of brilliant young women - gather to form a secret strategy unit. On the top floor of a bomb-bruised HQ in Liverpool, the Western Approaches Tactical Unit spends days and nights designing and playing wargames in an effort to crack the U-boat tactics. As the U-boat wolfpacks continue to prey upon the supply ships, the Wrens race against time to save Britain. With novelistic flair, investigative journalist Simon Parkin shines a light on Operation Raspberry and these unsung heroines in this riveting true story of war at sea. 'History writing at its best' Booklist 'Splendid . . . Simon Parkin's book rips along at full sail and is full of personality and personalities' Sunday Express 'Vivid, engaging' New Yorker

Overturns the generally held view that the press gang was the main means of recruiting seamen by the British navy in the late eighteenth century. SHORTLISTED for the Society for Nautical Research's prestigious Anderson Medal. The press gang is generally regarded as the means by which the British navy solved the problem of recruiting enough seamen in the late eighteenth century. This book, however, based on extensive original research conducted primarily in a large number of ships' muster books, demonstrates that this view is false. It argues that, in fact, the overwhelming majority of seamen in the navy were there of their own free will. Taking a long view across the late eighteenth century but concentrating on the period of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars of 1793-1815, the book provides great detail on the sort of men that were recruited and the means by which they were recruited, and includes a number of individuals' stories. It shows how manpower was a major concern for the Admiralty; how the Admiralty put in place a range of recruitment methods including the quota system; how it worried about depleting merchant shipping of sufficient sailors; and how, although most seamen were volunteers, the press gang was resorted to, especially during the initial mobilisation at the beginning of wars and to find certain kinds of particularly skilled seamen. The book also makes comparisons with recruitment methods employed by the navies of other countries and by the British army. J. Ross Dancy is Assistant Professor of History at Sam Houston State University.

On December 7, 1941, Japan waged a surprise attack on the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. It was a major victory for the Japanese Navy, which in less than two hours destroyed 188 American planes, damaged another 159, and sunk or seriously damaged 18 U.S. warships. The battleships Arizona and Oklahoma were sunk. The battleships California, West Virginia and Tennessee were badly damaged and would not rejoin the United States fleet for months. Over 2,400 American military personnel were killed and 1,178 were wounded. The Japanese lost 29 planes and pilots, five midget submarines and one large sub with their crews. Here are 24 personal accounts of servicemen who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. These accounts cover in detail the location of each man and his experience during and after the actual attack. Also included is general information about Pearl Harbor.

Joseph Moretz's innovative work focuses on what battleships actually did in the inter-war years and what its designed war role in fact was. In doing so, the book tells us much about British naval policy and planning of the time.
This book reviews the role of the battleship in the Royal Navy during the 1919-39 period. It offers fresh insights into why the capital ship was deemed central to British naval planning even late in that era.
Drawing heavily on official Admiralty records and private papers of leading officers, the author examines the navy's operational experience and the evolution of its tactical doctrine during the interwar period. He argues that operational experience, combined with assumptions about the nature of a future naval war, were more important in keeping the battleship afloat than conservatism in Navy.
The author studies the many strategic threats facing the Royal Navy at this time and the differing approaches the Navy adopted to counter these, using the battleship. He concludes that previous historians, in neglecting the tactical and operational experience of the Royal Navy, and with full knowledge of the World War II, have painted a distorted picture of the place of the battleship between the two world wars.

How were medieval navies organised, and how did powerful rulers use them? Medieval Naval Warfare, 1000-1500 provides a wealth of information about the strategy and tactics of these early fleets and the extent to which the possibilities of sea power were understood and exploited.
This fascinating account brings vividly to life the dangers and difficulties of medieval seafaring. In particular, it reveals the exploits of the Italian city states, England and France and examines:
* why fighting occurred at sea
* how battles were fought
* the logistical back up needed to maintain a fleet
* naval battles from the Mediterranean to the North Sea.

How were medieval navies organised, and how did powerful rulers use them? Medieval Naval Warfare, 1000-1500 provides a wealth of information about the strategy and tactics of these early fleets and the extent to which the possibilities of sea power were understood and exploited.
This fascinating account brings vividly to life the dangers and difficulties of medieval seafaring. In particular, it reveals the exploits of the Italian city states, England and France and examines:
* why fighting occurred at sea
* how battles were fought
* the logistical back up needed to maintain a fleet
* naval battles from the Mediterranean to the North Sea.

Foucault and Latin America traces the influence of Michel Foucault and his theories on Latin American thought. These studies consider Foucault's influence concerning ideas of power, discourse, government, subjectivity and sexuality.

Michel Foucault's theories have played a powerful role in the intellectual life of Latin America. Within Latin American studies such concepts as the consciousness of the intellectual elite (letrados), the archive novel, the foundational fiction, and self-writing - all indebted to Foucault - are now the common currency of critical analysis.
Foucault and Latin America is the first volume to trace the influence of Foucault's theories on power, discourse, government, subjectivity, and sexuality in Latin American thought.

This work examines British thinking about nuclear weapons in the period up to about 1970, looking at the subject through the eyes of the Royal Navy, in the belief that this can offer new insights in this field. The author argues that the Navy was always sceptical about nuclear weapons, both on practical grounds and because of wartime and pre-war experiences. He suggests that this scepticism can teach us a good deal about military technological innovation in general. Both the defensive and offensive implications of nuclear weapons are considered, using recently declassified documents to show that broken-backed warfare - the 1950s idea that a war between the East and West could continue after a nuclear exchange - had considerably greater intellectual and practical foundations than has previously been acknowledged. Examining naval involvement in the British nuclear weapons programme in detail, this work argues that the Navy's interest in a share of the strategic deterrent role has often been considerably overstated.

Germany's merchant marine fleet - the second largest in the world prior to 1914 - seems to have played an unintended but decisive role in that nation's defeat in World War I. There were those ships that went to war for the Kaiser on the high seas, those that stayed at home or otherwise played no significant part in the conflict, and those which were commandeered (mostly in 1917 and by the United States) and used against Germany. This is a well illustrated history, both practical and romantic, of the association each ship may have had with famous people and events of the war, and of the fates of the ships that comprised that fleet.

This infectiously readable memoir by the most colourful and controversial Navy Secretary in memory provides the inside story of the origins and battles at home and abroad in building a 600-ship Navy. Young, bright, and ambitious, John Lehman came to office refusing to be just another figurehead. For the six years he served in the Reagan administration, he helped forge an aggressive strategy for achieving maritime supremacy and for rebuilding the U.S. Navy. In this bestselling personal account of those years between 1981 and 1987, he speaks with candour and authority about the ills of the military establishment and the struggles and frustrations he encountered. Lehman reveals instances of political intrigue, including his dramatic Oval Office confrontation with Admiral Rickover at the time of the admiral's firing in 1982 and battles within the Pentagon and Congress. His explanation of the administration's new naval strategy has been called the most comprehensive and lucid ever written, and his descriptions of the Navy in combat over Libya, Lebanon, and Grenada are packed with fascinating details that only an insider could know. The bold insights he presents of a critical turning point in the Cold War will continue to inform and, with the addition of new material to this paperback edition, promise to renewed discussion of the role of the U.S. Navy then and into the future.

Kaplan describes aircraft carriers, from the first ramshackle seaplane carriers to nuclear-powered vessels, and the planes that have flown from them - Swordfish biplanes, Hellcats, Hornets, Hawkeyes and Sea Harriers.

Series Information:
Warfare and History

Merchant navies represent economic and industrial strength. This study revises the definition of maritime power through a more comprehensive understanding and appreciation for the roles played by the merchant marine of a nation.

Human Resource Management in the British Armed Forces continues to grow in importance. A great deal of emphasis has now been placed on people issues and these will grow in importance, particularly for the services, as the full effects of the Human Rights Act 1998 and implications of the Macpherson Report begin to hit home.

Merchant navies are more than simply freight-hauling services. They represent economic and industrial strength and are important adjuncts to a nation's navy, providing material support as well as a supply of trained manpower. This study revises the definition of maritime power through a more comprehensive understanding and appreciation for the roles played by the merchant marine of a nation.

This book looks at the transition of wooden sailing fleets to the modern steel navy. It details the technological breakthroughs that brought about this change - steampower, armour, artillery and torpedoes, and looks at their affect on naval strategy and tactics.
Part of the ever-growing and prestigious Warfare and History series, this book is a must for enthusiasts of military history.

In 1925, Lewis R Freeman became a correspondent for the United States Navy Fleet, living and working among them. Traveling all around the Pacific Ocean, Freeman observed both the environment and his fellow travelers. Separated into three sections, Stories of the Ships is a collection of narratives about this time in Freeman's life, depicting firsthand experiences and retelling the accounts and tales of the men that served in the Navy around this time. The first section, titled, Stories of the Ships introduces Freeman's background as a correspondent and discusses the temperament of the sailors. This section also includes the tale of an old ship that sailed through most of the seven seas-the Cornwall. The next section, Life in the Fleet chronicles Freeman's day-to-day adventures, explaining his routines, responsibilities, and revealing his conversations with the crew members and captains. With nine chapters, this section contains the most stories and is the largest section of the book. Finally, the last section before the endnotes, America Arrives, examines the relationship between America and other countries such as France and Britain through the conversations and attitudes of the sailors from those other countries. Freeman recounts several discussions where he was referred to being unlike other Americans. With these three sections and the endnotes, Stories of the Ships provides a thorough account of the many years Lewis R. Freeman spent as a correspondent. Through the depiction of real-life conversations and experiences collected around the globe, Stories of the Ships by Lewis R. Freeman is a fascinating narrative that gives modern day audiences an intimate and authentic perspective on nautical life. With the focus on the United States Navy Fleet, Freeman provides privileged information on the innerworkings of the U.S Navy during the 20th century. This edition of Stories of the Ships by Lewis R. Freeman features a striking new cover design and is printed in a modern and readable font. With these accommodations, Stories of the Ships is restored to modern standards, while preserving the original mastery of Lewis R. Freeman.

The technical transformation of the Royal Navy during the Victorian era posed a succession of bewildering design, tactical and operational problems for administrators from the 1830s onwards. These problems have attracted considerable scrutiny. Far less scrutiny, however, has been paid to an equally fundamental strategic quandary created by the switch from sail to steam.

A complete illustrated study of the German Kriegsmarine throughout World War II. Hamstrung at first by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, during the 1930s, the German Navy underwent a programme of rearmament in defiance of the restrictions, building modern warships under limitations which forced technological innovation. Submarines were strictly prohibited by the treaty, and yet, following years of covert development, they became one of the Kriegsmarine's most deadly weapons. Blooded in the Spanish Civil War, the surface ships of the Kriegsmarine went on to play a crucial role in the opening salvoes of World War II during the invasions of Poland and Norway, although serious losses here set back plans for the invasion of Britain, and by the end of the war, only a handful of surface vessels remained to be divided up among the Allies. From the beginning of the war, but especially after the fall of France, the dreaded and extraordinarily successful U-boats stalked the Atlantic, threatening vital British shipping convoys and choking off the lifeline of munitions and supply from the US. Once Italy and Japan entered the war, German naval operations expanded to the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. This highly illustrated volume is a comprehensive study of the German Navy throughout the war, from pocket battleships to torpedo boats.