Why is Alfred T Mahan significant?

Answer 1

Alfred Thayer Mahan(born Sept. 27, 1840, West Point, N.Y., U.S.died Dec. 1, 1914, Quogue, N.Y.) was a U.S. naval officer and historian. He studied at the U.S. Naval Academy, and his nearly 40 years of active naval duty included fighting in the American Civil War. He was president of the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. (188689). His classic analysis The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 16601783 (1890) argued that sea power was decisive in determining national supremacy. In The Influence of Sea Power upon the French Revolution and Empire, 17931812 (1892), he stressed the interdependence of military and commercial control of the sea. Avidly read in Britain and Germany, both books greatly influenced the buildup of naval forces before World War I.

Answer 2

Alfred T Mahan is significant because of his influential book "The Influence of Sea Power upon History", which argued for the importance of naval power in international politics. His ideas had a profound impact on naval strategy and played a key role in shaping the naval policies of major powers, particularly the United States and Great Britain. Mahan's work continues to be widely studied and his theories are still considered relevant in the field of naval strategy.