MILITARY / MARCH 18, 2024
A Navy in Decline
Sea power was the cornerstone of our victory in two World Wars and, most recently, in the Cold War against the Soviets.
BRENT RAMSEY
In 1890, Alfred Thayer Mahan, a renowned naval strategist, published his groundbreaking work, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History. This seminal book documented the preeminent role sea power has on world power and influence, showing that maritime powers have consistently dominated throughout modern history.
Mahan’s work was hailed around the world as proof of the importance of sea power to national power. Teddy Roosevelt, the presidents during the two World Wars, and Ronald Reagan during the Cold War era recognized the wisdom of Mahan’s doctrine and built the U.S. Navy to preeminence and power. Maritime power enabled the United States to project power and influence worldwide, strongly supported our allies, and promoted American values. Sea power was the cornerstone of our victory in two world wars and, most recently, in the Cold War against the Soviets.
The importance of maritime power is even greater in 2024 than it has ever been because the world’s economy is based on the transportation of goods by sea. Yet, since the fall of the Soviet Union, the U.S. has ignored this foundational principle of national power and allowed our Navy and maritime infrastructure to atrophy and wither to a shadow of its former self. During Reagan’s presidency, the Navy was a robust world-spanning sea power with almost 600 battle force ships, and we were unchallenged in naval power around the world. Today, the Navy has 291 battle force ships and only 231 combatants. That number will decline in the coming years.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/105248-a-navy-in-decline-2024-03-18
