Everything Everywhere Daily The Mahan Doctrine
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Dec 29, 2025 Discover how Alfred Thayer Mahan's seemingly simple book revolutionized naval warfare and shaped global power dynamics. Explore his core thesis that sea control dictates national destiny and his four principles on decisive battles and naval strategy. Learn about the U.S. policy influenced by Mahan, including the Panama Canal and battleship focus. Delve into the reactions from world powers like Britain and Japan, the critiques from continental nations, and how Mahan's ideas resonate today in China's naval expansion.
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Sea Power Shapes National Destiny
- Alfred Thayer Mahan argued that nations controlling the seas shape their destinies through maritime dominance.
- He identified six conditions and four principles linking geography, commerce, bases, and concentrated battle fleets to sea power.
Practical Steps For Naval Power
- Mahan urged the U.S. to build a modern battleship navy, overseas bases, and a canal through Central America.
- He recommended assertive policy to protect commerce and project American power globally.
Roosevelt Put Mahan Into Action
- Theodore Roosevelt embraced Mahan and used his ideas while Assistant Secretary of the Navy and as president.
- Roosevelt built the Great White Fleet and expanded U.S. overseas possessions after the Spanish-American War.
