Question

What warning does Mahan give in having a navy WITHOUT the acquisition of colonies?

Answer 1

Alfred Mahan's key warning was that a navy without overseas colonies or coaling stations would be severely limited in its range, like "land birds." This drove US expansion to acquire such bases, enabling the establishment of a global naval presence and leading to a significant increase in naval power.

Step-by-step explanation:

Alfred Thayer Mahan, in his seminal work, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, urged the United States to develop a powerful navy complemented by a network of colonial possessions or strategic coaling stations. Mahan warned that without these necessary support systems, the US Navy would be like "land birds unable to fly far from their own shores," limiting its operational range and geopolitical influence. The acquisition of colonies, according to Mahan, would provide these essential resting places where naval vessels could coal and repair, a point of strategy that was quickly adopted by US policymakers, leading to the expansion of American imperial acquisitions.

Mahan's ideas significantly influenced the United States' actions towards becoming a global naval power. They led to increased naval construction, including bigger ships with more powerful guns, and a network of bases and coaling stations to extend the navy's reach. This emphasis on a modern, powerful navy enabled the US to regulate commerce and dominate in conflicts such as the Spanish-American War. Consequently, the United States became the third strongest naval power by the end of the 1890s.

Answer 2

Alfred Thayer Mahan was a United States naval officer, historian, and one of the most influential American authors of the nineteenth century.

He argued that modern navies needed repair and coaling stations, which would not be dependable if controlled by other nations. This reasoning implied a justification for American acquisition of colonies to develop port facilities throughout the world.