The Last Century of Sea Power, Volume 1

The transition to modern war at sea began during the period of the Sino-Japanese War (18941895) and the Spanish-American War (1898) and was propelled forward rapidly by the advent of the dreadnought and the nearly continuous state of war that culminated in World War I. By 1922, most of the elements that would define sea power in the 20th century were in place. Written by one of our foremost military historians, this volume acknowledges the complex nature of this transformation, focusing on imperialism, the growth of fleets, changes in shipbuilding and armament technology, and doctrines about the deployment and use of force at sea, among other factors. There is careful attention to the many battles fought at sea during this period and their impact on the future of sea power. The narrative is supplemented by a wide range of reference materials, including a detailed census of capital ships built during this period and a remarkable chronology of actions at sea during World War I.

H. P. Willmott has written extensively on warfare in general and on World War II in particular. Among his books is The Battle of Leyte Gulf: The Last Fleet Action, a Society of Military History prize winner (IUP, 2005). He lives in Englefield Green, Egham, England.

Preface and Acknowledgments
List of Maps
List of Appendices
Part I. Introduction. Definitions and Terms of Reference
Chapter 1 The Sino-Japanese War, 1894-1895
Chapter 2 The Greco-Turkish war of 1897
Chapter 3 The Spanish-American War of 1898
Chapter 4 The Shifting Balance of Power
Part I Appendices
Part I Notes
Part II. Introduction: From Port Arthur to Bucharest, 1898 to 1913
Chapter 5 The Russo-Japanese War: The First Phases
Chapter 6 The Russo-Japanese War: The Battle of Tsushima and its Aftermath
Chapter 7 The Dreadnought Naval Race
Chapter 8 Prelude to the First World War
Part II Appendices
Part II Notes
Part III. Introduction: From Sarajevo to Constantinople, 1914 to 1922
Chronology of the First World War at Sea
Chapter 9 The First World War: The War in Northern Waters
Chapter 10 The First World War: Tsingtao and the Dardanelles
Chapter 11 The First World War: Naval Support of Operations in Africa
Chapter 12 The First World War: Action in the Baltic
Chapter 13 The First World War: The Black Sea, Otranto Strait, and Other Matters
Chapter 14 The Legacy of the First World War
Part III Appendices
Part III Notes
Part IV. Conclusion: Not so much Finis as . . .
Part IV Appendix
Part IV Notes
Index