Alfred Thayer Mahan Professions : Historian Born : September 27, 1840 Died : December 1, 1914 Browse All Authors Top 10 quotes by Alfred Thayer Mahan Having therefore no foreign establishments, either colonial or military, the ships of war of the United States, in war, will be like land birds, unable to fly far from their own shores. To provide resting places for them, where they can coal and repair, would be one of the first duties of a government proposing to itself the development of the power of the nation at sea. Alfred Thayer Mahan government military war Whether they will or not, Americans must now begin to look outward. The growing production of the country demands it. Alfred Thayer Mahan growing country looks War, once declared, must be waged offensively, aggressively. The enemy must not be fended off; but smitten down. You may then spare him every exaction, relinquish every gain, but „til then he must be struck incessantly and remorselessly. Alfred Thayer Mahan military war enemy Organized force alone enables the quiet and the weak to go about their business and to sleep securely in their beds, safe from the violent without or within. Alfred Thayer Mahan sea-power bed sleep The study of history lies at the foundation of all sound military conclusions and practice. Alfred Thayer Mahan military practice lying Those far distant, storm-beaten ships, upon which the Grand Army never looked, stood between it and the dominion of the world. Alfred Thayer Mahan storm army military Force is never more operative than when it is known to exist but is not brandished. Alfred Thayer Mahan known force power Free supplies and open retreat are two essentials to the safety of an army or a fleet. Alfred Thayer Mahan army military two There has been a constant struggle on the part of the military element to keep the end- fighting, or readiness to fight-superior to mere administrative considerations. The military man, having to do the fighting, considers that the chief necessity; the administrator equally naturally tends to think the smooth running of the machine the most admirable quality. Alfred Thayer Mahan military struggle running The surer of himself an admiral is, the finer the tactical development of his fleet, the better his captains, the more reluctant must he necessarily be to enter into a melee with equal forces, in which all these advantages will be thrown away, chance reign supreme, and his fleet be place on terms of equality with an assemblage of ships which have never before acted together. Alfred Thayer Mahan sea-power development together Similar Authors Abram L. Sachar historian Bryan Ward-Perkins historian Bruce Catton historian Bruce Bartlett historian Brian Crozier historian Allan Nevins historian All Authors
