U.S. battleship operations in World War I / Jerry W. Jones.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Jones, Jerry W., 1964-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

World War, 1914-1918--Naval operations, American.

World War, 1914-1918.

United States--History, Naval--20th century.

United States.

Naval history.

Physical Description:

ix, 170 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, map ; 24 cm

Other Title:

United States battleship operations in World War I

US battleship operations in World War I

Place of Publication:

Annapolis, Md. : Naval Institute Press, [1998]

Summary:

Drawing on recently uncovered documents from American, British, and German archives, this solidly researched and well-written book is the first comprehensive study of the operational histories of U.S. battleships in the Great War. It includes sufficient technical details to assure a fuller understanding of operations that have received little attention until now. At the same time, it raises a number of intriguing issues, such as why American warships were not up to British standards, that will attract the attention of military and naval historians as well as battleship aficionados and veterans.

The book fully details the unprecedented cooperation between the U.S. and Royal navies, including the amalgamation of a U.S. battleship division into the British Grand Fleet and the diplomatic context of Anglo-American relations. It reveals the poor state of training and gunnery on the American side once the war began by examining the efficiency of battleships in terms of both personnel and material. It also takes a close look at the strategic ideas of U.S. naval leaders governing the use of capital ships. Explaining that the experience of joint operations with the British benefited the entire U.S. fleet, the author reasons that the U.S. Navy learned from exposure to British methods and experience, and that service in the war zone pointed to serious deficiencies that might not otherwise have come to light. He concludes that the addition of American battleships to the fleet allowed the Allies to protect Scandinavian commerce and supply lines across the Atlantic from German surface raiders and to maintain superiority in the North Sea.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [157]-163) and index.

ISBN:

1557504113

OCLC:

37935228