Fleet tactics and naval operations

摘要

After Alfred Thayer Mahan's The influence of sea power upon history, the most influential book written about war at sea might be Fleet tactics and naval operations. The latter, which originally appeared in 1986, would even edge out its more influential competitor in one important respect: most naval officers have probably read the book. The third edition, replete with forewords to earlier editions and passages that reflect its Cold War origins, has a sort of scriptural quality about it in the sense that it has evolved over the last 30 years and the traces of earlier times linger in its narrative. Commentary from previous editions and various editorial changes chronicle shifts in thinking that highlight evolving challenges and opportunities in the realm of naval warfare.