While the overriding image of World War I is of the bloody stalemate on
the Western Front, the overall shape of the war arose out of its
maritime character. It was essentially a struggle about access to
worldwide resources, most clearly seen in Germany's desperate attempts
to counter the American industrial threat, which ultimately drew the
United States into the war. This radical new book concentrates on the
way in which each side tried to use or deny the sea to the other, and in
so doing describes rapid wartime changes not only in ship and weapons
technology but also in the way naval warfare was envisaged and fought.
Melding strategic, technical, and tactical aspects, Friedman approaches
World War I from a fresh perspective and demonstrates how its perceived
lessons dominated the way navies prepared for World War II.