Alfred Thayer Mahan
Alfred Thayer Mahan was a prominent American naval officer and historian, born in West Point, New York, in 1840. Graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1859, Mahan served during the Civil War, though his naval career was marked by challenges, including accidents at sea. His true strengths lay in strategy and history rather than in command, leading him to a distinguished role as an educator. In 1886, he became president of the newly established Naval War College, where he emphasized the significance of naval power in global affairs. Mahan's influential book, *The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1805*, published in 1890, asserted that national prosperity and military dominance were heavily reliant on powerful navies. His ideas gained widespread attention, particularly in Europe, where they influenced naval policies and contributed to the naval arms race prior to World War I. Mahan's relationships with notable figures, including President Theodore Roosevelt, significantly shaped naval strategy in the United States. After retiring in 1896 with the rank of rear admiral, Mahan continued to write extensively on naval issues until his temporary return to service during the Spanish-American War.
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Subject Terms
Alfred Thayer Mahan
Strategist
- Born: September 27, 1840
- Birthplace: West Point, New York
- Died: December 1, 1914
- Place of death: Washington, D.C.
Born: September 27, 1840; West Point, New York
Died: December 1, 1914; Washington, D.C.
Principal wars: American Civil War, Spanish-American War
Military significance: Mahan’s monumental work The Influence of Sea Power upon History 1660–1805, published in 1890, argued the case for sea power as a decisive factor in history.
Alfred Thayer Mahan was born at West Point, New York, where his father, a noted authority on field fortifications and siege warfare, taught engineering at the military academy. Mahan graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, in 1859. As a young lieutenant, he served as executive officer aboard the USS Pocahontas during the early part of the American Civil War. Mahan’s lack of attention on duty resulted in his ship colliding with another Union ship at anchor. Such accidents became characteristic of Mahan’s subsequent commands. While at sea, he was in a constant state of anxiety and very much preferred a life on land—in the classroom or pursuing a writing career. It was clear that his abilities did not suit him for work as a naval officer in command but as a strategist and historian.
After teaching at the newly formed Naval War College for a few months, he became president of the college in 1886. In 1890, Mahan published his electrifying and renowned work The Influence of Sea Power upon History1660–1805, which was based largely on his lectures at the college. In this major work, Mahan stressed the large and even decisive effect of sea power on the course of history and the prosperity of nations. No previous writer or strategist had placed such emphasis on naval might. Mahan’s work initially received a more enthusiastic response in Europe than in the United States, especially in naval circles. It provided the Royal Navy and the British government the best possible arguments for continuing and strengthening a strong navy policy. In Germany, the kaiser was much impressed and ordered the dissemination of the work among his naval officers. It has been claimed that the writing of Mahan was instrumental in creating the naval rivalry between Great Britain and Germany that contributed to the outbreak of World War I. Great Britain would accept German military might but not a threat to her naval superiority. It is more likely that Mahan’s popularity within the two countries was a symptom of the rivalry rather than the cause.
In 1893, Mahan was ordered to sea and given command of the new cruiser Chicago. It was dispatched to Europe to return the visits of European warships to the United States in commemoration of the discovery of America. In Europe, Mahan was welcomed as a celebrity in a triumphal procession through European ports and was presented to Queen Victoria and William II, the kaiser. Returning home, Mahan found that his fame had grown immensely. Future president Theodore Roosevelt and Senator Henry Cabot Lodge could be counted among his supporters. The relationship between Roosevelt and Mahan, both personally and professionally was especially close.
Mahan retired from the U.S. Navy in 1896 with the rank of rear admiral after having served close to forty years. Much of his time in retirement was spent writing books and serialized magazine articles that were later published in book form. He returned to the Navy temporarily in 1898 during the Spanish-American War to serve on the Naval War Board.
Bibliography
Mahan, Alfred Thayer. The Influence of Sea Power upon History 1660–1805. 1890. New York: Gallery Books, 1980.
Sumida, Jon Tetsuro. Inventing Grand Strategy and Teaching Command: The Classic Works of Alfred Thayer Mahan Reconsidered. Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 1997.
Turk, Richard W. The Ambiguous Relationship: Theodore Roosevelt and Alfred Thayer Mahan. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1987.