Maritime Supremacy & the Opening of the Western Mind: Naval Campaigns That Shaped the Modern World
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This book, a kind of sequel to or refinement of Alfred T. Mahan's 19th-century classic The Influence of Sea Power upon History, begins with a standard observation: In war, naval power tends to trump land power. But Peter Padfield makes an even bolder claim: "Maritime supremacy is the key which unlocks most, if not all, large questions of modern history, certainly the puzzle of how and why we--the Western democracies--are as we are." To put it more frankly: "Our civilization (if we can lay so large a claim), our beliefs, our dominance are products not of superior minds or bravery, cunning, greed, or ruthlessness--common attributes of mankind--still less of the Christian religion, the 'Protestant work ethic,' or blind chance, but of the particular configuration of the seas and land masses that has given the advantage to powers able to use and command the seas." That may sound incredibly deterministic, but also intriguing. The resulting discussion of military and economic might on the seas begins with the Spanish Armada and concludes with the founding of the United States. It's an engaging mix that will appeal to readers who like to tackle the big questions of history, as in David S. Landes's The Wealth and Poverty of Nations or Thomas Sowell's Conquests and Cultures. Best of all, readers need not agree with the striking thesis of Maritime Supremacy to profit from its ideas. In the end, more than a few may wind up agreeing with Padfield that "We are the heirs of maritime supremacy." --John J. Miller
Stephen Howarth, Naval History Magazine
[Padfield's] comprehension of the context and his natural, understandable absorption in the details are expressed in fine writing.
--This text refers to the
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Maritime Supremacy & the Opening of the Western Mind: Naval Campaigns That Shaped the Modern World
Maritime Supremacy & the Opening of the Western Mind: Naval Campaigns That Shaped the Modern World,Peter Padfield,Overlook Hardcover,1585670022,History,History - General History,History: World,Maritime History,Military - Naval,Modern - General,Naval History (General),Naval history, Modern,History / Military / Naval
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