The World of the Battleship - Edited by Bruce Taylor

This review has been submitted to Military History Online. 

Title: The World of the Battleship
Author: Edited by Bruce Taylor
ISBN: 978-1-84832-178-6
Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
Year: 2018
Hardcover
Pages: 440
Photos: 100’s

The Battleship was, for decades, a symbol of beauty and raw power; epitomizing the authority of the State for which it sailed. Despite the fact that advances in technology has heralded the close of the Battleship era, it remains for many the quintessential example of the height of tangible State supremacy and influence. The World of the Battleship is a culmination of hundreds of hours of research and coordination to bring together a history of specific vessels spanning the period of 1882-1992 and twenty-one different navies. 

Each section of the book is drafted by a naval historian of the particular navy or region who focuses upon one ship that best represents the cream of that force. Replete with rare and fascinating photographs, the narrative describes the history, operational life and passing of these warships. The stories are presented in a thoughtful and engaging manner; focussing more upon the life of the ship and the crews experiences as opposed to exclusively the technical elements of ship design. Any engineering information is presented to provide context and background, rather than be the focus of the narrative. 

During the period covered by this book, Battleships were used by governments as a visible extension of their power and thus were an overt political, diplomatic as well as military tool. As such, the authors have incorporated into their studies, examples of the influence wielded and the perilous path the national governments trod as they tried to balance the enormous cost versus benefits of these ships. 

Attention is also paid the lives and interactions of the crews. Given that many of these ships had crew compliments in excess of a thousand crewmen, discipline, ethnicity, political machinations and professionalism (amongst others) all played very significant roles in the moral, effectiveness and confidence of these crews and ships. The authors draw upon examples to illustrate how these crews and their ships reflected the strengths and weaknesses of the States themselves. Often times, naval officers represented the cream of society and the lower decker’s those from ‘lower economic’ element’s. These communities were interdependent as the complexity of the ships demanded absolute focus and attention. Poor leadership, excessive discipline or even the quality of the food all had far greater impacts in the closed world of the ship that they would elsewhere. Instances of mutiny are addressed and discussed, as are catastrophic technical failures; each representing still relevant lessons to the modern reader. 

The community and comradeship of the crews on board these ships is emphasized as the true indicator of the strength of the Battleship. This loyalty served as the effective foundation of the ship. Ultimately the ship was a tool, but the care and attention needed for it to perform effectively and the common danger and hardship experienced, required a well-trained and motivated crew. 

This is an excellent book. It is of the highest quality in terms of publication and research. Each author presents a comprehensive bibliography about the national navy discussed, at the end of each section. It is a worthwhile addition to anyone’s library. 

The Naval War in the Baltic 1939-1945 - Poul Grooss

This review has been submitted to the Canadian Naval Review.

Title: The Naval War in the Baltic 1939-1945

Author: Poul Grooss

ISBN: 978-1-5267-0000-1

Publisher: Seaforth Publishing

Year: 2017

Hardcover

Pages: 400

Photos/Maps: 136/17

When one thinks of the naval elements of World War Two, the two regions that come immediately to mind are the Atlantic and Pacific theatres; and for good reason as they were the scenes of titanic clashes never before experienced in the annals of naval history. However, for the Eastern and Northern Fronts, it was the Baltic that held the attention of the Scandinavian, Soviet and German combatants. It was here that the lifeblood of German iron ore, nickel and other key resources flowed from neutral Sweden, where the Germans trained their u-boat crews, safe from Allied bombers and surface combatants, undertook weapons trials from Peenemunde and where they were able to support and influence allies such as the Baltic States and Finland in their war efforts. For the Soviets, it was the environment to counter German efforts and spread their influence free from the direct influence of the West, the struggle for Leningrad and a theatre that represented an ongoing threat to their northern flank.

Relatively speaking, little is known/remembered in the West about the struggle that unfolded in the expanse of the Baltic; however, Grooss has encapsulated the regional war in a way that clarifies and condenses the conflict into a manageable and easily comprehensible format. This work is the result of a many decades long research project formalized into book form. Originally printed in his native Dutch, the translation into English comes across, at times, as a little wooden. This does not take away however, from the superb level of research and detail that is imparted. Replete with hundreds of rare photographs spread throughout the book and superb regional maps, the work is a pleasure to read.

What is fascinating about the region was the close proximity (relatively speaking) of countries with very different political interests. Grooss does an excellent job of relating the high wire diplomatic acts carried out by Sweden, Finland and Denmark as the war progressed towards its final curtain. The role of Sweden during the war is of particular interest as it acted very much (from a political perspective) as a northern Switzerland; a base for diplomacy and espionage.

An added bonus to his work are the ‘explanatory text-boxes’ that he adds throughout the book to provide greater understanding for a particular subject (such as mines and how they work, or torpedoes and torpedo firing methodologies as examples). Without breaking up the narrative, he is able to explain some of these complex systems, thereby adding depth and breadth to the discussion.

Seafold has produced a book of very high quality; certainly worthy of the comprehensive and detailed account of one of World War Two’s lesser known but significant theatres of the war. Dedicated historians and casual dabblers alike will find elements of this book to their taste. Grooss may add his name to a growing list of regional authors who have done justice to the memory of those who came before. 

Morning Star, Midnight Sun - Jeffrey R Cox

This review submitted to Sabretache Magazine.

Title: Morning Star, Midnight Sun

Author: Jeffrey R Cox

ISBN: 978-1-4728-2638-1

Publisher: Osprey

Year: 2018

Softcover

Pages: 448

Maps:  4

There remains a common misperception that, following their defeat at Midway, that the tide of war had turned definitively against the Japanese and that their ultimate defeat was now inevitable. Jeffrey Cox’s work proves this to be categorically false. That they had suffered a major setback was indeed the case and recognized but the Japanese still viewed the war as winnable.

This was a particularly enjoyable book to read; not only for its detailed content and analysis, but also for the humour and style of the author. Interspersed with his discussion of the events of the period covered by the book, are ‘sidebar’ interpretations of reactions of commanders and participants. These cynical interjections add levity and, indeed, a more human element to the narrative. The traditional stoic demeanour of the Japanese are given a more realistic feel. The Allies, a more truthful reflection of the strains of multinational as well as inter-service operations. 

Cox balances his narrative extremely well between the protagonists. The reader is provided with fascinating insights into the effects of fog of war, opinions and expectations of individual Commanders and a deep understanding of the pressures of command and the cumulative effects of decisions. During this period, both the Allies and the Japanese commanders were under great pressure to achieve clear victories. While the Americans had defeated the Japanese at Midway, they had lost a carrier in the process resulting in an operational draw. The American public demanded greater success. Conversely, the Japanese commanders felt compelled to avenge the stain of their Midway losses. Compounding this pressure was the fact that neither side, at this time, had the depth of resources to compensate for any additional losses of capital ships.

The author effectively captures the complex interplay between the adversaries as they struggled to control the seas and skies over the centre of gravity during this period: Guadacanal Island. The Japanese proved conclusively that they remained more than a match for the American forces facing them. In fact, they held a majority of the cards in terms of surface vessels, command quality, operational options and control of the seas. Having trained exhaustively for night operations, the Japanese continued to rule the night with the Americans maintaining an advantage during the daylight. Two things had changed however that are not widely appreciated but are glaringly obvious in Cox’s analysis: the Americans had finally found an Admiral in Halsey that had the aggressiveness and presence to take the fight to the Japanese and the vaunted “Sea Eagles”, the Japanese carrier aviators that had ruled the skies up to now, had been decimated and were a fraction of their former numbers. The replacement pool was unable to replace the losses with similar quality aviators.

Cox has drafted an outstanding book of exceptional quality and content. His narrative style is engaging and keeps the reader hooked. His comprehensive knowledge of this period is reflected in his deep analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the American and Japanese forces. Regardless of whether one is interested in naval operations in the Pacific Theatre, this book remains not only and excellent reference but also read.

Infighting Admirals: Fisher’s Feud with Beresford and the Reactionaries - Geoffrey Penn

Title: Infighting Admirals: Fisher’s Feud with Beresford and the Reactionaries

Author: Geoffrey Penn

ISBN: 978-0-85052-756-8

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Year: 2000

Hardcover

Pages: 264

Photos: 31

It is hard to imagine the degree of influence that the Royal Navy had, at the end of the 1800’s, on British public opinion and therefore, by extension, politics. At that time it was entirely possible to transfer between active duty positions and political office as long as one wasn’t on duty (but was on ‘half-pay’ semi-retirement). This gave naval officers, especially ambitious ones, a great deal of scope for influence and mischief. The two officers at the centre of this work were contemporaries, once friends and, in the end, deep set rivals. Both had their supporters and detractors; the UK and, most especially the Royal Navy, were fortunate in the final outcome of the feud.

Penn’s work does an outstanding job at providing a comprehensive picture of each man’s personality, development, influences and ambitions. This is key in providing context to the nature of the rivalry that developed between them. Both loved the Navy but for different reasons. Fisher saw it as an extension of British influence and domination and one that was under threat from a lack of focus and professionalism as well as operational and developmental stagnation. His vision was one of fundamental change to all aspects the Navy. Conversely, Beresford also viewed the Navy as an extension of British power, but not in terms of a professional arm but more as a hereditary right and norm. What had worked in the past will continue to work in the future. In his view the Navy served to glorify the country and the Admiral in charge and quantity more than made up for quality as long as the turnout was good.

This book is really about personalities and the environments within which they worked. Penn excels at encapsulating the nature of military and political service and the ways by which influence was exercised. Also of note is the role of the major newspapers of the period. They were the twitter of their period and policies and reputations were subject to their whims. It is truly incredible the degree to which Beresford was able to publically flout military protocol and discipline in his efforts to advance his own agenda. The failure of the Royal Navy and its political masters to nip this behaviour was indicative of the intricacies of class and position.

Fisher’s advancement was also unique in that he had no political or family connections to draw upon; his competency and luck were his tickets to promotion. He was a visionary with little time for political niceties and he drove forward his agenda with a single-mindedness of purpose. Fisher’s success, despite deep rooted resentment and resistance amongst the Naval Old School, serves as a testament to the adages relating to being the right man at the right time.

Penn’s work is an eminently readable account of one of the most fascinating periods of the Royal Navy outside of wartime. Little remembered today, the experiences of Fisher and Beresford should serve as opposing examples of leadership and self-sacrifice that are the bedrock of effective military command. Penn’s book should be read by any who are interested in examples of effective and ineffective arts of command as well as the inherent dangers in complacency.

Blockade: Cruiser Warfare and the Starvation of Germany in World War One - Steve R Dunn

This review has been submitted to War History Online Magazine.

Title: Blockade: Cruiser Warfare and the Starvation of Germany in World War One

Author: Steve R Dunn

ISBN: 978-1-84832-340-7

Publisher: Pena and Sword//Seaforth

Year: 2016

Hardcover

Pages: 208

Photos/Maps: 15/1

One of the least appreciated battlegrounds of the First World War was the ocean. The Battle of Jutland has been well documented as has been the fact that Germany was subject to a very effective naval blockade; however, the details of that blockade and its actual effect are at best superficially known to the reading public. Blockade seeks to redress that delta with its discussion of the methodology of the blockade, focusing upon the actions of the 10^th Cruiser Squadron covering the ‘Northern Approaches” and renditions of noteworthy individual ship actions. Further, he touches upon little known German efforts to both break the blockade and effect a similar style of blockade on the British Islands.

Dunn begins his work with a look at the impact of the German surface raider’s and the u-boat campaign. He additionally looks at the challenges of the Law of the Sea as it pertains to submarine warfare (so-called ‘unrestricted warfare’). His analysis is succinct and easily grasped and enables the reader to comprehend the difficulty and potential of this new form of warfare both doctrinally and practically. Additionally, his narrative clearly shows the effect that individual commerce raiders had when released upon merchant fleets unprotected on the vast oceans.

He also discusses the legality (and superficially, the morality) of a universal blockade not specifically aimed at military resources but Germany writ large and the doctrinal transition from close to distant blockade. The legality of the blockade as a method of warfare is interesting in that it highlights the hypocrisy of the international and historical discussion of this period. Much was made (especially amongst neutrals) of the illegality of unrestricted seaborne warfare to the point where calls were made by the British to declare submarine warfare a war crime. Yet, the dubious legality of the general blockade of Germany was never questioned despite the fact that over 750,000 German civilian deaths may be directly attributable to a lack of food during the war.

The 10th Cruiser Squadron, comprising obsolete cruisers and armed merchant vessels (AMC’s), was responsible for an inverted triangle running from Iceland to Norway with its southern point on the Orkney’s. The deeply hostile environment and hardships that these sailors suffered and their unacknowledged triumph at denying the Germans merchant access is recounted by Dunn in a gripping narrative of courage and endurance. He focusses on the human face of this campaign as opposed to a stark rendition of dates and numbers. The statistics serve to reinforce the significance of the accomplishments of the officers and sailors themselves. Dunn’s account of the unsung heroes and combatants of this region is not limited to the Allies but also encompasses the German officers and sailors who constantly strove to break the 10^th Cruiser Sqn’s stranglehold on this region.

This book serves as an excellent introduction into the details of the blockade; its history, evolution and effect. It touches upon themes that should be discussed in more detail such as the morality and legality of the blockade and the stigma of German attempts at unrestricted warfare; however, these are not pursued in any real analytical depth. Dunn’s work is solid and very readable and is recommended for those seeking to gain insight into the nature of this kind of warfare and its impact upon the Allied war effort in 1914-1918.