Final answer:
The Great White Fleet set sail to demonstrate naval power, reflecting the United States' commitment to a strong navy as advocated by Alfred Mahan. This show of force was meant to assert the U.S. Navy's global reach and influence through a modernized fleet and strategic network of coaling stations.
Step-by-step explanation:
On December 16th, 1907, the Great White Fleet left Hampton Roads for a journey around the world primarily to show the flag and to demonstrate naval power. This demonstration was a direct assertion of the United States' growing military capabilities at sea, in line with the strategic principles advocated by influential naval theorist Alfred Mahan. The fleet's voyage was intended to reflect the United States' commitment to maintaining a strong navy, capable of global influence and deterrence, thereby ensuring both national security and facilitation of international trade by means of a powerful maritime presence.
Mahan's theories highlighted the importance of a formidable navy to sustain a nation’s influence and commercial reach across the globe. His ideas significantly influenced the United States' policies, leading to the expansion and modernization of the US fleet and the establishment of coaling stations and bases worldwide—an embodiment of the growing American empire's strategic and tactical reach. Thus, the showing-off of the Great White Fleet symbolized the realization of Mahan's vision of a robust, coal-driven, globally dominant US Navy, reaffirming naval power as a crucial component of America's ascendance on the world stage.