Mahan: The Life of Maritime Strategy's Greatest Revolutionary

The first full biography of Alfred Thayer Mahan in nearly fifty years explores how his groundbreaking ideas on sea power reshaped naval strategy and global politics-and why they still matter today.Drawing on rich archival material, David A. Smith brings to life the man whose intellect helped chart the course of modern maritime history. Alfred Thayer Mahan’s theories of sea power transformed the strategic thinking of his time and continue to influence global affairs today.This is the definitive biography of the man whose writings reshaped naval doctrine and engendered a new understanding of international power.Author David A. Smith examines in full Mahan’s intellectual development, professional path, and the broad consequences of his work for both the United States and the wider world. Chapters focus on the major stages of Mahan’s life and thought (1840-1914): his early years as the son of a West Point professor, his formative experience at the U.S.Naval Academy, and his service during