Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)William N. Still has crafted what will unquestionably be the standard work documenting the contribution of the United States Navy in World War I in 1917 and 1918. The only disappointing thing about this outstanding, detailed, work is the fact that it is issued by an academic press (although a very fine one, the University Presses of Florida), thus somewhat inhibiting a more widespread distribution and marketing of the book to a potentially much greater audience. Additionally, at $100.00 the copy new, Still's book is dauntingly pricey, but is certainly worth it nonetheless, to the specialist, researcher or, like myself, the serious collector of scholarly and thoughtful works of naval history.
I like Dr. Still's approach to his subject in which he is clearly and obviously extremely well-versed. He outlines and delineates far more than the standard operational history of the Navy during this period although that is well covered. He elucidates useful, and little-known, insights on the role and criticality of protecting troop convoys from the German U-Boat threat across the Atlantic, the trial-by-error development of proper convoy escorts, the role of the U.S. battleship squadron in its interaction with the Royal Navy's Grand fleet (we definitely did not measure up to the high gunnery and tactical standards of the Brits at first, although the Brits had experienced their own difficulties in these regards at the inconclusive battle of Jutland a year before the U.S. entered the war).
What impresses me the most about this book is the exhaustive amount of background material--the often quirky (and demanding) personalities of the captains and admirals, the daily lives of ordinary sailors on convoy patrol on the various types of warships (the food they ate, how they spent their shore leave in the British Isles, etc.), early 20th century USN warship development, the logistical "fleet train" and much, much more.
Copious endnotes lend the stamp of authenticity and credibility to the whole flow of the narrative, yet without "getting in the way" of an outstanding read. Still tells a compelling story like it has never been told before.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Crisis at Sea: The United States Navy in European Waters in World War I (New Perspectives on Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology)
Crisis at Sea is the first comprehensive history of the United States Navy in European waters during World War I. Drawing on vast American, British, German, French, and Italian sources, the author presents the U.S. Naval experience as America moved into the modern age of naval warfare. Not limited to an operations account of naval battles and strategies, this volume—the second in a series—examines diplomatic policies, cabinet decisions, logistics, the home front, support systems, and shipbuilding to illustrate the complexity and enormity of America's naval participation in World War I.
Get 20% OFF
0 comments:
Post a Comment