The Last Century of Sea Power, Volume 2: From Washington to Tokyo, 1922–1945

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Indiana University Press, Mar 22, 2010 - History - 1099 pages
“An important contribution . . . a thoughtful account of the years preceding the Second World War and, at much greater length, of the war itself.” —History

In this second volume of his history of naval power in the 20th century, H. P. Willmott follows the fortunes of the established seafaring nations of Europe along with two upstarts—the United States and Japan. Emerging from World War I in command of the seas, Great Britain saw its supremacy weakened through neglect and in the face of more committed rivals. Britain’s grand Coronation Review of 1937 marked the apotheosis of a sea power slipping into decline. Meanwhile, Britain’s rivals and soon-to-be enemies were embarking on significant naval building programs that would soon change the nature of war at sea in ways that neither they nor their rivals anticipated. By the end of a new world war, the United States had taken command of two oceans, having placed its industrial might behind technologies that further defined the arena of naval power above and below the waves, where stealth and the ability to strike at great distance would soon rewrite the rules of war and of peace. This splendid volume further enhances Willmott’s stature as the dean of naval historians.

Praise for The Last Century of Sea Power series

“The author, dean of naval historians, provides a sweeping look at, and analysis of, the transformation of naval power . . . Wilmott is fearless in his judgments.” —Seapower

“H. P. Willmott is the finest naval historian and among the finest historians of any discipline writing today.” —Bernard D. Cole, author of The Great Wall at Sea
 

Contents

Washington London and Two Very Separate Wars 19211941
3
Two Washington and London
7
Three Ethiopia and Spain
42
Four Japan and Its Special Undeclared War
62
Part 2 Introduction to the Second World War
81
Five Navies Sea Power and Two or More Wars
83
The European Theater
117
Six Britain and the Defeat of the Uboat Guerre de Course
119
Eleven The Japanese Situationand a Japanese Dimension
430
Twelve The Japanese Situationand an American Dimension
451
Thirteen The Japanese Situationand a Second Japanese Dimension
473
Fourteen The Japanese Situationand Another and Final Dimension
516
Part 5 Dealing with Real Enemies
537
The British Home Fleet 15 August 1945
539
Notes
597
Selected Bibliography
627

Seven With Friends like These
223
Eight Italy and the War in the MediterraneanTheater of Operations
261
Nine The Lesser Allied Navies and Merchant Marinesin the Second World War
286
The Pacific Theater
361
Introduction and Conclusion
363

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About the author (2010)

H. P. Willmott has written extensively on warfare in general and on World War II in particular. Among his books are The Last Century of Sea Power: From Port Arthur to Chanak, 1894–1922 (IUP, 2009) and The Battle of Leyte Gulf: The Last Fleet Action (IUP, 2005), a Society of Military History prize winner.

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