Operations Upon the Sea: A Study
Public-domain ebook
Operations Upon the Sea: A Study
Language: en2,118 downloads on Project Gutenberg
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Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #27244.
About this book
The work is a German‑authored military study on the logistics of moving armies across oceans, presented in a literal English translation that retains the author’s unadorned, blunt tone. It opens with a preface that frames the book as a semi‑official attempt to forecast “operations upon the sea” within the limits of contemporary reality, emphasizing that the material reflects the views of a segment of the German armed forces rather than the nation as a whole. The introductory chapters outline theoretical principles, the necessity of joint army‑navy planning, and the practical steps required during peace to prepare for wartime transport, drawing on recent conflicts such as the Japanese‑Chinese war, the Spanish‑American war, and the British campaigns in South Africa. The author repeatedly stresses the importance of surprise, the superiority of German merchant marine capacity, and the coordination of land and sea forces for successful amphibious invasions.
Written in a formal, early‑20th‑century German military style, the text reads like a doctrinal manual rather than a narrative history. Its dense, systematic exposition and frequent references to contemporary wars will appeal to readers interested in the strategic thinking of the Imperial German military, scholars of naval and transport history, and enthusiasts of period military theory who appreciate primary‑source insight into pre‑World‑War planning.
The opening · free to read
Covering this phase of the German operations the present volume must appeal as forecasting movements strictly within the bounds of actuality. A literal translation is all that has been attempted, with absolutely no embellishment to make it "popular" or easy reading. With characteristic bluntness this German officer brushes aside non-essentials and goes to the main point in daring fashion. For that very reason it is exceedingly pertinent to present-day discussions.
Issued as a military study in Germany, semi-official in nature, to characterize it mildly, the material herein published for the first time in English reveals the theories of at least a portion of the military arm of the German Government, which it is only fair to state may not represent the convictions of the German people.
Americans, as neutral but extremely interested observers of happenings of the moment, cannot be blamed, however, for making note of revelations that may come from either side in the conflict. Beyond that, there are evidences on every hand that the patriotic citizens of this country are waking to the necessity to face more securely the difficulties a peace-loving nation may meet because of its lack of enthusiasm for war.
THE PUBLISHERS.
The purpose of this book is to estimate the value of operation over the sea as demonstrated in modern warfare, to point out the most important factors in its accomplishment, to describe the powerful expedients provided by Germany for such an enterprise, and to broaden the sphere of studying these important questions of interest to our Fatherland.
THE AUTHOR.
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