Benjamin "BJ" Armstrong

Alfred Thayer Mahan’s 'The Influence of Sea Power upon History' is well known to students of naval history and strategy, but his other writings are often overlooked when considering today’s challenges. This collection of eight of Mahan’s essays, along with Benjamin Armstrong’s informative introductions and analysis, illustrates why Mahan’s work remains relevant in the 21st century and how that work can help develop our strategic understanding.

People misunderstand Mahan, Armstrong… Show more

Alfred Thayer Mahan’s 'The Influence of Sea Power upon History' is well known to students of naval history and strategy, but his other writings are often overlooked when considering today’s challenges. This collection of eight of Mahan’s essays, along with Benjamin Armstrong’s informative introductions and analysis, illustrates why Mahan’s work remains relevant in the 21st century and how that work can help develop our strategic understanding.

People misunderstand Mahan, Armstrong reveals, because they have only read what others have to say about him, rather than what Mahan actually wrote. From the challenges of bureaucracy and staff duty, the development of global strategy and fleet composition, and effective leadership included in the first edition, this second edition adds discussions of the United States’ place in the world, the difficulties of naval readiness, and the organization needed for construction of an effective national and naval strategy. With these added essays from Mahan, and a new preface and conclusion analyzing his work from Armstrong, this book demonstrates that Mahan’s ideas about the importance of sea power continue to provide today’s readers with a necessary foundation to address the military and international challenges of the 21st century. Show less

This book examines the US Navy and Marine Corps during the interwar years from a new perspective.

Rather than focusing on the technologies developed, the wargames conducted, or the results of the now famous Fleet Problems, this work analyzes the global deployments of the rest of the US fleet. By examining the annual reports of the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps over 20 years, the book traces the US ships, squadrons, and fleets… Show more

This book examines the US Navy and Marine Corps during the interwar years from a new perspective.

Rather than focusing on the technologies developed, the wargames conducted, or the results of the now famous Fleet Problems, this work analyzes the global deployments of the rest of the US fleet. By examining the annual reports of the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps over 20 years, the book traces the US ships, squadrons, and fleets conducting naval diplomacy and humanitarian missions, maritime security patrols, and deployments for deterrent effect across the world’s oceans. Despite the common label of the interwar years as "isolationist," the deployments of the US Navy and Marine Corps in that period were anything but isolated. The majority of the literature on the era has a narrow focus on preparation for combat and wartime, which provides an incomplete view of the history of US naval power and also establishes a misleading set of precedents and historical context for naval thinkers and strategists in the contemporary world. Offering a wider and more complete understanding of the history of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from 1920 to 1939, this book demonstrates the tension between the execution of peacetime missions and the preparation for the next war, while also offering a broader understanding of American naval forces and their role in American and global history.

This book will be of much interest to students of naval and military history, sea power, and International History. Show less

Throughout the history of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, leading officers and strategists have advocated for formal colleges and schools for naval officers but have also made the case that true naval professionalism requires a career-long dedication to learning and to self-improvement. This was the impetus behind the very founding of the U.S. Naval Institute by officers who believed that the Navy’s lack of support for their education meant they needed to create their own organization for… Show more

Throughout the history of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, leading officers and strategists have advocated for formal colleges and schools for naval officers but have also made the case that true naval professionalism requires a career-long dedication to learning and to self-improvement. This was the impetus behind the very founding of the U.S. Naval Institute by officers who believed that the Navy’s lack of support for their education meant they needed to create their own organization for self-study and cooperative learning. Naval luminaries like admirals William Sims and Ernest King continued to campaign for self-study and the personal pursuit of professional knowledge during the twentieth century, distributing lists of suggested books for officers to read and promoting their ideas widely through speeches and published works.

While recommending that officers read broadly in pursuit of individual knowledge is an important part of creating a truly educated and professional Fleet and Fleet Marine Force, it is also important for leaders in the sea services to offer mentorship and create opportunities for discourse that encourages group learning. Developing the Naval Mind serves as a how-to manual and syllabus for leaders to create and lead wardroom, ready room, and work center discussion groups across the fleet to create a more educated and professionally engaged Navy and Marine Corps. Show less

Two centuries before the daring exploits of Navy SEALs and Marine Raiders captured the public imagination, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps were already engaged in similarly perilous missions: raiding pirate camps, attacking enemy ships in the dark of night, and striking enemy facilities and resources on shore. Even John Paul Jones, father of the American navy, saw such irregular operations as critical to naval warfare. With Jones’s own experience as a starting point, Benjamin Armstrong sets out… Show more

Two centuries before the daring exploits of Navy SEALs and Marine Raiders captured the public imagination, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps were already engaged in similarly perilous missions: raiding pirate camps, attacking enemy ships in the dark of night, and striking enemy facilities and resources on shore. Even John Paul Jones, father of the American navy, saw such irregular operations as critical to naval warfare. With Jones’s own experience as a starting point, Benjamin Armstrong sets out to take irregular naval warfare out of the shadow of the blue-water battles that dominate naval history. This book, the first historical study of its kind, makes a compelling case for raiding and irregular naval warfare as key elements in the story of American sea power.

Beginning with the Continental Navy, Small Boats and Daring Men traces maritime missions through the wars of the early republic, from the coast of modern-day Libya to the rivers and inlets of the Chesapeake Bay. At the same time, Armstrong examines the era’s conflicts with nonstate enemies and threats to American peacetime interests along Pacific and Caribbean shores. Armstrong brings a uniquely informed perspective to his subject; and his work—with reference to original naval operational reports, sailors’ memoirs and diaries, and officers’ correspondence—is at once an exciting narrative of danger and combat at sea and a thoroughgoing analysis of how these events fit into concepts of American sea power.

Offering a critical new look at the naval history of the Early American era, this book also raises fundamental questions for naval strategy in the twenty-first century. Show less

The history of the War of 1812 has been dominated by scrutiny of the dueling frigates, squadron actions, and the British blockade of American ports. Yet, during the conflict from 1812 to 1815, sailors and marines were just as likely to be involved in maritime raiding operations and other irregular missions as they were to work the ‘great guns’ in ship versus ship combat. This paper re-examines operations on the Great Lakes, and particularly Lake Ontario, in order to illuminate the role of… Show more

The history of the War of 1812 has been dominated by scrutiny of the dueling frigates, squadron actions, and the British blockade of American ports. Yet, during the conflict from 1812 to 1815, sailors and marines were just as likely to be involved in maritime raiding operations and other irregular missions as they were to work the ‘great guns’ in ship versus ship combat. This paper re-examines operations on the Great Lakes, and particularly Lake Ontario, in order to illuminate the role of irregular operations and small unit and small craft actions. These types of operations were common throughout the age of sail, but receive little attention from scholars. In order to broaden the scope of operational naval history, and the understanding of the roles and missions of naval forces, a wider investigation of naval irregular warfare is warranted both in the War of 1812 and across naval history more generally. Show less

In this white paper, Defense Strategies and Assessments Program Director Jerry Hendrix and Commander Benjamin Armstrong, USN examine naval presence around the globe and recommend another look at the execution of our national strategy. The authors note that "best policy decisions will maintain a weather eye on the balanced force of a sufficient size that has been the central discussion of American naval power since the founding."

The defense innovation movement has taken hold in the United States, with junior officers and enlisted service-members embracing the need for reform and change. Despite the fact that this tends to be cast as a uniquely 21st century ideal, derived in many ways from the language of Silicon Valley and the ideals of business entrepreneurs, there is actually a long history of these types of movements. A study of a few examples from naval history can help today's innovators and reformers by placing… Show more

The defense innovation movement has taken hold in the United States, with junior officers and enlisted service-members embracing the need for reform and change. Despite the fact that this tends to be cast as a uniquely 21st century ideal, derived in many ways from the language of Silicon Valley and the ideals of business entrepreneurs, there is actually a long history of these types of movements. A study of a few examples from naval history can help today's innovators and reformers by placing their efforts in a larger context. Show less

Debate over the operational concept Air-Sea Battle / JAM-GC has tended to dominate naval strategic discussion of the past several years. Despite the amount that has been written on the subject, very little has engaged with the actual theory and classic concepts of naval strategy. A better understanding of where today's naval discourse fits within the ideas of classical naval strategy will not only help us better understand the proposals and counter-proposals, but it will also help strategists… Show more

Debate over the operational concept Air-Sea Battle / JAM-GC has tended to dominate naval strategic discussion of the past several years. Despite the amount that has been written on the subject, very little has engaged with the actual theory and classic concepts of naval strategy. A better understanding of where today's naval discourse fits within the ideas of classical naval strategy will not only help us better understand the proposals and counter-proposals, but it will also help strategists to better evaluate and develop future thinking. Show less

For more than two decades William S. Sims was at the forefront of naval affairs. From the revolution in naval gunnery to his development of torpedo boat and destroyer operations, he was a central figure in preparing the U.S. Navy for World War I. During the war, he served as the senior naval commander in Europe and was instrumental in the establishment of the convoy system. Following the war his leadership as president of the Naval War College established the foundation of the creative and… Show more

For more than two decades William S. Sims was at the forefront of naval affairs. From the revolution in naval gunnery to his development of torpedo boat and destroyer operations, he was a central figure in preparing the U.S. Navy for World War I. During the war, he served as the senior naval commander in Europe and was instrumental in the establishment of the convoy system. Following the war his leadership as president of the Naval War College established the foundation of the creative and innovative Navy that developed the operating concepts for submarines and aircraft carriers leading up to World War II. Despite his dramatic impact on the U.S. Navy, Sims' books and articles are often overlooked. His lessons are especially important for today's military, facing budget cuts as well as missions in transition. This book is a collection of Adm. William Sims' written work, and it investigates his relevance in addressing the questions facing today's military personnel and policymakers. Show less

History shows us that innovation from within the military, rather than forced on it from the outside, is possible. But it will require a modern day reform movement with the right kind of leadership and the right kind of organizations.

The U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, 1900–1909
The Digitizing Proceedings Project

Twenty-three hundred miles from home, a small crew of American privateers fought off nearly 400 British sailors and marines—and may have helped save New Orleans in the process.

Too much of today’s writing assumes that unmanned craft are a new phenomenon, and that today’s versions will force a true revolution in strategy or naval culture. Alfred Thayer Mahan struck closer to the truth: “The study of military history lies at the foundation of all sound military conclusions and practices.” And if we can learn from a 14th-century river pirate fighting for the Mandate of Heaven, we can certainly learn from a program much closer to our own time and technology.

An American merchant crew facing down the scourge of piracy. A ship’s master making hard decisions against the odds to try and save his ship and his crew. This story is retold in the new movie called Captain Phillips, where Oscar winner Tom Hanks and an impressive cast show us the violent realities of piracy and maritime security in the 21st century. However, Richard Phillips and the crew of the Maersk Alabama weren’t the first American mariners to capture the imagination of the nation with a… Show more

An American merchant crew facing down the scourge of piracy. A ship’s master making hard decisions against the odds to try and save his ship and his crew. This story is retold in the new movie called Captain Phillips, where Oscar winner Tom Hanks and an impressive cast show us the violent realities of piracy and maritime security in the 21st century. However, Richard Phillips and the crew of the Maersk Alabama weren’t the first American mariners to capture the imagination of the nation with a dramatic story of violence on the high seas and pirates bested on the other side of the world. Almost two centuries before, there was Captain Endicott and the harrowing tale of the American spice trader Friendship.

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During the War of 1812, operations that present-day naval analysts would call ‘maritime irregular warfare’ were an important part of the conflict on the Great Lakes.

Alfred Thayer Mahan's The Influence of Seapower upon History is well known to students of naval history and strategy, but his other writings are often dismissed as irrelevant to today's problems. This collection of five of Mahan's essays, along with Benjamin Armstrong's informative introductions, illustrates why Mahan's work remains relevant to the 21st century and how it can help develop our strategic thinking. People misunderstand Mahan, the editor argues, because they have read only what… Show more

Alfred Thayer Mahan's The Influence of Seapower upon History is well known to students of naval history and strategy, but his other writings are often dismissed as irrelevant to today's problems. This collection of five of Mahan's essays, along with Benjamin Armstrong's informative introductions, illustrates why Mahan's work remains relevant to the 21st century and how it can help develop our strategic thinking. People misunderstand Mahan, the editor argues, because they have read only what others say about him, not what Mahan wrote himself. Armstrong's analysis is derived directly from Mahan's own writings. From the challenges of bureaucratic organization and the pit falls of staff duty, to the development of global strategy and fleet composition, to illustrations of effective combat leadership, Armstrong demonstrates that Mahan's ideas continue to provide today's readers with a solid foundation to address the challenges of a rapidly globalizing world. Show less

Maritime interests in the twenty-first century are not immune to the growing number of irregular challenges and hybrid threats that have come to dominate land warfare. In order to better understand these challenges a study of naval history can help provide a vital foundation. In the early 1830s the United States Navy dispatched the frigate USS Potomac to Sumatra to investigate a pirate attack on the spice trader Friendship. Potomac's crew of sailors and Marines conducted a landing at the… Show more

Maritime interests in the twenty-first century are not immune to the growing number of irregular challenges and hybrid threats that have come to dominate land warfare. In order to better understand these challenges a study of naval history can help provide a vital foundation. In the early 1830s the United States Navy dispatched the frigate USS Potomac to Sumatra to investigate a pirate attack on the spice trader Friendship. Potomac's crew of sailors and Marines conducted a landing at the village Quallah Batoo and fought a pitched battle. As the navies of the world approach naval irregular warfare in the new century, studying past examples like Potomac's mission can help illuminate the principles of successful naval irregular warfare.
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In the War of 1812, Britain's Royal Navy met its match in a determined band of U.S. Navy warship commanders.

You thought Mahan was all about battleships and grand strategy? Well, he also was quite erudite about what it takes to be a good naval officer.

We started doing it 212 years ago. Now that the Marine Corps is going back to sea after a decade on the ground, it’s time to revive the Maritime Raid Force.

At the epic Battle of Lake Poyang, the intrepid Zhu Yuanzhang turned the tide of Chinese history and set a course for a dynasty that would span three centuries.

Technology has always played an important role in the development of warfare. As weapon systems change and improve, they influence not just the outcome of armed conflict, but the way wars are planned and fought. As the 21st century continues to unfold and technology’s advances accelerate, today’s military leaders and strategists must keep pace. Dr. I. B. Holley wrote in his conclusion to Paths of Heaven: The Evolution of Airpower Theory that “technology advances—novel weapons as well as… Show more

Technology has always played an important role in the development of warfare. As weapon systems change and improve, they influence not just the outcome of armed conflict, but the way wars are planned and fought. As the 21st century continues to unfold and technology’s advances accelerate, today’s military leaders and strategists must keep pace. Dr. I. B. Holley wrote in his conclusion to Paths of Heaven: The Evolution of Airpower Theory that “technology advances—novel weapons as well as ancillary equipment—are devised, but until suitable doctrines are formulated to optimize their potential, they remain underexploited.”1 By looking to historical examples of the interaction between technology and doctrine today’s military decision makers can learn some important lessons. One example is the development of rotary-wing aviation in the United States military. The integration of helicopters into military doctrine provides several lessons for the modern integration of technology, including Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), into military operations. Show less

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, China has become a source of increased focus for military
strategists and policy-makers throughout the West and most especially in the United States. With
the largest army in the world and obvious aspirations to, at the very least, regional power they
mark one of the most significant potential threats to American military supremacy. Studies of
China’s martial past have been included in the professional reading of many officers in the United… Show more

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, China has become a source of increased focus for military
strategists and policy-makers throughout the West and most especially in the United States. With
the largest army in the world and obvious aspirations to, at the very least, regional power they
mark one of the most significant potential threats to American military supremacy. Studies of
China’s martial past have been included in the professional reading of many officers in the United
States Armed forces. However, there is still one common misperception with regard to China’s
military history. China, despite what many have written, has an important naval heritage. This
heritage may not have been central to the study of Chinese history in the past; however it is
important for study in the future. The Chinese government itself has included examples from this
history as inspiration for their modern policy and strategy. With this fact in mind it is of vital
importance that historians and strategists understand China’s naval past. Show less