Auteur: A. T. Mahan

Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840-1914) was a United States Navy officer, geostrategist, and educator, whose work on the importance of sea power dramatically influenced naval strategy across the world. He is best known for his seminal work “The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783, ” published in 1890. This book outlined Mahan”s theory that national greatness was inextricably linked to the strength of a country”s navy. In “The Interest of America in Sea Power, Present and Future, ” Mahan continued this theme, emphatically articulating a vision where American prosperity and security were dependent on naval supremacy. Mahan”s thoughtful analysis and advocacy for a strong United States Navy contributed to the great sea power building era of the pre-World War I period, influencing policymakers, including President Theodore Roosevelt. His theories are often regarded as part of the classical realism school of thought in international relations. Although some of his strategic concepts have been debated and partially superseded, Mahan”s impact on naval warfare and the strategic importance of maritime power remains a subject of study in military academies around the globe. His ideas shaped not only the implementation of power politics in the twentieth century but also remain relevant to contemporary geopolitical debates.