What do you think?
Rate this book
The Struggle for Sea Power: A Naval History of the American Revolution
The American Revolution was a naval war of immense scope, embroiling twenty-two navies fighting on five oceans. Britain alone launched simultaneous campaigns in the English Channel, the North and Mid-Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean, the Pacific, the North Sea, and, of course, the Eastern Seaboard of America. Not until World War II would a single nation fight in so many different theaters. If the British had had the luxury of focusing on their American problem alone, the outcome would have been quite different. But it was thought that losing Jamaica to the Spanish or India to the French would have been much more crippling to the British economy than losing the American colonies.
The Struggle for Sea Power bristles with stunning reversals of fortune and desperate naval encounters. Readers will come away from it with a profound understanding of this global war, of the rise and fall of the British Empire, and of the way in which seapower shaped our world.
The Struggle for Sea Power bristles with stunning reversals of fortune and desperate naval encounters. Readers will come away from it with a profound understanding of this global war, of the rise and fall of the British Empire, and of the way in which seapower shaped our world.
608 pages, Hardcover
First published October 15, 2015
16 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
Sam Willis
50 books55 followersDr Sam Willis is a maritime historian and archaeologist and is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
He is the author of the best-selling Hearts of Oak Trilogy and the Fighting Ships Series. He has consulted on maritime history for many clients including the BBC, Channel 4, NBC America and Christie's.
Sam's work is coloured by his knowledge and experience of seamanship. Sam's unique approach to maritime history and his vivid style of writing has led to him being described as 'A Nautical Tour de Force'.
He is the author of the best-selling Hearts of Oak Trilogy and the Fighting Ships Series. He has consulted on maritime history for many clients including the BBC, Channel 4, NBC America and Christie's.
Sam's work is coloured by his knowledge and experience of seamanship. Sam's unique approach to maritime history and his vivid style of writing has led to him being described as 'A Nautical Tour de Force'.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
May 31, 2023
Audible sale 15 hours 50 min. Narrated by Derek Perkins (A)
This book has been on my Audible Wish List since 2021 when I was immersing myself in the history of the American Revolutionary War. Had I known how broad the scope and how foundational its story is to the understanding the war, I would definitely have read it then. This was such an engaging history clearly written by an author who must eat, breath and dream about sailing ships, yet he is compelled by his own curiosity to do in-depth research in order to present a broader scope of the influence of the navies of America, England, France, Spain, the Dutch and even Russia waging war and carrying on commerce in late 18th century. Sam Willis crafts this epic history by luring the reader in by reminding us of what we do know and then with a wink, a nod, and a sly smile "Well, let me show you what really happened." I have immensely enjoyed "The Struggle For Sea Power" and would recommend it to those who have a foundational grasp of the history of the young colonies war for independence and desire to understand how our war directly and dramatically affected the countries of Europe whose histories reach back hundreds of years prior to our own. A rare 5 star book.
This book has been on my Audible Wish List since 2021 when I was immersing myself in the history of the American Revolutionary War. Had I known how broad the scope and how foundational its story is to the understanding the war, I would definitely have read it then. This was such an engaging history clearly written by an author who must eat, breath and dream about sailing ships, yet he is compelled by his own curiosity to do in-depth research in order to present a broader scope of the influence of the navies of America, England, France, Spain, the Dutch and even Russia waging war and carrying on commerce in late 18th century. Sam Willis crafts this epic history by luring the reader in by reminding us of what we do know and then with a wink, a nod, and a sly smile "Well, let me show you what really happened." I have immensely enjoyed "The Struggle For Sea Power" and would recommend it to those who have a foundational grasp of the history of the young colonies war for independence and desire to understand how our war directly and dramatically affected the countries of Europe whose histories reach back hundreds of years prior to our own. A rare 5 star book.
July 19, 2016
Initially I was less than impressed with this book. While it is well written and researched I thought the beginning was leading me to think it a waste of my time. The author meanders through every use of a boat made by Washington and the other Americans in their land war with the British during our revolution. Of course Washington used boats to escape New York and again to cross and recross the Delaware and Arnold's little navy on Lake Champlain was certainly an accomplishment of great merit. However, none of these events would be noteworthy in any struggle for sea power as the book's title would suggest. In recounting these events the author certainly supplies more detail regarding the boats use, the difficulties encountered in their use, and the logistics they facilitated and all of this was quite informative but was it necessary? All of these events is well known and the boats were merely tools needed to achieve the goals of those using them. I thought what's next, a book on wagons and horses? Once the author left this area of discussion and focused on real navies then things got progressively better and more interesting. This is the best book I've read that treats our revolution for what it really was, a pawn in the global board game of European politics aimed at undermining the British dominance of the sea and, therefore, world trade. The book also clarifies our "alliance" with France for what that really was, a sham. France used our revolution to force the British to divert its resources away from areas where the French wished to establish a presence or expand an existing presence. The French also induced the Spanish to assist them and the Americans in this game of spreading the British forces to their breaking point both militarily and economically. And it was really about economics because you couldn't play the game of global politics without a navy and navies are expensive to build and maintain and this requires a thriving economy. Compromise the navy and the economy suffers. Compromise the economy and the navy suffers. The Americans, French, Spanish, and Dutch all played their part in spreading the British so thinly that eventually they had to make hard choices about what they could afford to keep and what they had to let go. Fortunately for us we were considered less valuable than other elements of the British Empire and were let go. On the whole it was a very informative read and worth getting past the beginning.
December 29, 2020
The struggle for seapower, a book about warfare during the Americans war of independence, set as per the title says but includes not only the sea, but rivers and lakes ports.Some early on fights were showing how people thought at the beginning, trying to be bloodless but that ended quickly and didn't go well. All I was interested in was learning about the tactics used at the time and imagining these mens experiences of battles.
Found out how hard at that time it was a very difficult sinking a wooden warship with their current weapons, storms destroyed more ships, disease as well. Most ships were taken as prizes & private ship owners (privateers) played a major role in many of these engagements. Not until later in the book did the big fleet battles show. Britian tried hard to hold onto the colonies and sent massive amounts of men and materials across the Atlantic but in the end pressures from within and without led to them ultimately just giving up as they were just to spread out thin The French, Dutch Spanish alliance really made Britian struggle, and I guess everything was suffering economics, leads to ship building suffering, so in the end Britians attention to America dissapeared, as also learnt how both sides were quite inept at large scale fleet actions and losing and victory in sea battles really depended on individual captains abilities along with well trained crews and good quality gunpowder. The French had no accountabily on how money was spent, versus Britians micro managent for every pound spent, suprisingly French did well in battles considering supply and logistic problems and 1 on 1 British and French were fairly evenly matched the differences being Captains and skilled crews. The British were over reached and with expansion into India taking precendence over the war and just wanting trade to get back to normal in the Americas, sort of gave up wanting to hold America, even though at sea they still dominated. I learnt the fledgling American navy, how the loss at Charleston crippled the colonists and British interest was moving to the far east Indian company. So less commitment meant American smugglers, privateers, had little or no chance of being caught. Very thorough and detailed book on all sorts of things enjoyed it a immensely, many other down to earth human interest episodes, love ocean stories anything to do with it as I love getting out their myself contemplating all the universe's mysteries haha.
Found out how hard at that time it was a very difficult sinking a wooden warship with their current weapons, storms destroyed more ships, disease as well. Most ships were taken as prizes & private ship owners (privateers) played a major role in many of these engagements. Not until later in the book did the big fleet battles show. Britian tried hard to hold onto the colonies and sent massive amounts of men and materials across the Atlantic but in the end pressures from within and without led to them ultimately just giving up as they were just to spread out thin The French, Dutch Spanish alliance really made Britian struggle, and I guess everything was suffering economics, leads to ship building suffering, so in the end Britians attention to America dissapeared, as also learnt how both sides were quite inept at large scale fleet actions and losing and victory in sea battles really depended on individual captains abilities along with well trained crews and good quality gunpowder. The French had no accountabily on how money was spent, versus Britians micro managent for every pound spent, suprisingly French did well in battles considering supply and logistic problems and 1 on 1 British and French were fairly evenly matched the differences being Captains and skilled crews. The British were over reached and with expansion into India taking precendence over the war and just wanting trade to get back to normal in the Americas, sort of gave up wanting to hold America, even though at sea they still dominated. I learnt the fledgling American navy, how the loss at Charleston crippled the colonists and British interest was moving to the far east Indian company. So less commitment meant American smugglers, privateers, had little or no chance of being caught. Very thorough and detailed book on all sorts of things enjoyed it a immensely, many other down to earth human interest episodes, love ocean stories anything to do with it as I love getting out their myself contemplating all the universe's mysteries haha.
July 5, 2016
A readable, engaging and well-researched history of the naval aspects of the Revolution, from the outbreak of war to the last shots (fired in the Bay of Bengal) Willis calls it the “greatest war of the age of sail” and pays close attention to the various global theaters, showing how 22 separate navies fought in five oceans, and he ably describes the drama of invasions, raids, mutinies, slavery, insanity, survival, treason, and cruelty.
Willis vividly covers just about every aspect of the topic from strategy to the clashes on the rivers, and lesser-known topics like the Royal Navy’s struggles with disease, the lackluster performance of the British Admiralty and inexperienced and unskilled British crews, the cost and complexity of administering a navy, the naval efforts of the French, Spanish and Dutch, and the lessons the British took from the experience. Willis does describe the campaigns and battles, although not in the style or detail that everyone will enjoy. He also describes such episodes as the first military submarine in history, and the obscure naval components of otherwise well-known campaigns. He ably describes the effect of sea power on strategy, politics, diplomacy and economics. Often the mere presence of sea power could affect a situation dramatically without a shot being fired.
Willis captures the scope of the action, the role played by sailors in the land campaigns, and how Britain, despite a lackluster performance in North American waters, performed impressively in other theaters. He ably describes how seemingly obscure episodes impacted the course of the war, such as maritime trade, the situation at Gibraltar and in the Caribbean, and even the impact of the French canal system. He also brings up the point that the term “strategy” did not exist at the time; planners had only a loose understanding of how the different theaters were linked, due to slow communications and limited, unpredictable capabilities; none of the war’s naval operations ever turned out as planned, and few people had realistic expectations of what naval power could accomplish, and waging an aggressive naval war thousands of miles from home in unpredictable weather was extremely difficult, even for the British. Willis also vividly describes the effect of chance and weather, and the role played by such figures as John Paul Jones and Horatio Nelson. He also describes the lessons Britain took from the war, such as maintaining a large fleet in peacetime through generous funding and a combination of private and royal yards, and that fleets could be better managed and controlled in home waters.
A broad, interesting and very comprehensive history, although it can occasionally get a bit breezy and conversational.
Willis vividly covers just about every aspect of the topic from strategy to the clashes on the rivers, and lesser-known topics like the Royal Navy’s struggles with disease, the lackluster performance of the British Admiralty and inexperienced and unskilled British crews, the cost and complexity of administering a navy, the naval efforts of the French, Spanish and Dutch, and the lessons the British took from the experience. Willis does describe the campaigns and battles, although not in the style or detail that everyone will enjoy. He also describes such episodes as the first military submarine in history, and the obscure naval components of otherwise well-known campaigns. He ably describes the effect of sea power on strategy, politics, diplomacy and economics. Often the mere presence of sea power could affect a situation dramatically without a shot being fired.
Willis captures the scope of the action, the role played by sailors in the land campaigns, and how Britain, despite a lackluster performance in North American waters, performed impressively in other theaters. He ably describes how seemingly obscure episodes impacted the course of the war, such as maritime trade, the situation at Gibraltar and in the Caribbean, and even the impact of the French canal system. He also brings up the point that the term “strategy” did not exist at the time; planners had only a loose understanding of how the different theaters were linked, due to slow communications and limited, unpredictable capabilities; none of the war’s naval operations ever turned out as planned, and few people had realistic expectations of what naval power could accomplish, and waging an aggressive naval war thousands of miles from home in unpredictable weather was extremely difficult, even for the British. Willis also vividly describes the effect of chance and weather, and the role played by such figures as John Paul Jones and Horatio Nelson. He also describes the lessons Britain took from the war, such as maintaining a large fleet in peacetime through generous funding and a combination of private and royal yards, and that fleets could be better managed and controlled in home waters.
A broad, interesting and very comprehensive history, although it can occasionally get a bit breezy and conversational.
September 29, 2017
A terrific and fresh look at the American Revolution, from a sea power perspective, and from a British military historian with a British appreciation of sea power. Willis lays out the logistics of navies of the day, the manning and tactics and strategies of the assorted world powers all pursuing their specific interests under the aegis of the American revolt. Little recognized, the American Revolution was in fact a world war involving not just the Americans, British and French but also the Dutch, Spanish, Russians and to a lesser extent Scandinavian countries in related conflicts across the world - in the Baltic, the Caribbean, European waters, Gibraltar, India, South Africa... the scope of the conflict is laid out and the strategic ramifications explained cogently and perceptively. Willis is disciplined and focused in his narrative. Land battles are described in brief, as necessary to maintain the chronology of events and to then segue to the importance and effects of sea power in those critical engagements. Sea battles are explained in light of tactics, logistics, command and control issues of the day, including external factors such as disease, hurricanes and culture. This is a wonderful, fresh and compelling addition to any understanding of, and appreciation for, the history of the American Revolution.
June 1, 2017
Struggle For Sea Power takes a broad yet thesis-based look at the naval side of the American Revolution. Willis looks at the American (both Continental/national and states), British, French, and Spanish (and to a lesser extent the Dutch and even briefly the Indian) navies during the American Revolution. This covers not just the fleets and privateers, but also lake and riverine warfare and amphibious operations. The themes are how each side tried (or failed) to used maritime warfare and how each side's hopes and aspirations often rode on the back of their naval arm only to frequently be disappointed. The story here seems to be one more of failure and disappointment than success, which makes the successes all the more remarkable and impactful.
I ended up enjoying most of this book, but I had some trouble near the beginning and almost never finished it. Willis seems to have the opposite problem from many non-fiction writers. Instead of being too dry and dull (a problem with academics especially), Willis is sometimes too clever and colorful, writing with too much of a flourish. I'm not sure if this is a problem I've encountered before with a non-fiction author. Fortunately, I either grew accustomed to his style and/or he settled down by the end of the first part of the book and it was smoother sailing after that. And when not getting overly enamored with subject, Willis stays pretty well on target. For example, how and why Cornwallis got from Charleston to Yorktown is covered in a couple sentences. This does mean the book does require readers to have some solid knowledge already of the American Revolution. Willis is also pretty clear about who he likes and doesn't like, although he seemed fairly reasonable about why.
Moderate recommendation to those with a strong interest in the American Revolution, or with naval history that have a good knowledge of that war.
I ended up enjoying most of this book, but I had some trouble near the beginning and almost never finished it. Willis seems to have the opposite problem from many non-fiction writers. Instead of being too dry and dull (a problem with academics especially), Willis is sometimes too clever and colorful, writing with too much of a flourish. I'm not sure if this is a problem I've encountered before with a non-fiction author. Fortunately, I either grew accustomed to his style and/or he settled down by the end of the first part of the book and it was smoother sailing after that. And when not getting overly enamored with subject, Willis stays pretty well on target. For example, how and why Cornwallis got from Charleston to Yorktown is covered in a couple sentences. This does mean the book does require readers to have some solid knowledge already of the American Revolution. Willis is also pretty clear about who he likes and doesn't like, although he seemed fairly reasonable about why.
Moderate recommendation to those with a strong interest in the American Revolution, or with naval history that have a good knowledge of that war.
May 14, 2017
Good overview and terrific insight into logistics and supply of navies in 18th century. Rushed at the end, a little more attention to the Southern campaigns would have been welcome. But it stands out for breadth and reference to recent publications as well as original source materials.
January 18, 2018
The Struggle for Sea Power opens in Paris with a description of how a recent naval battle had influenced fashion to the extent that Parisian ladies were wearing elaborate models of the lates ships in their elaborate hairdos. But the point of this book was to describe the World War that the American Revolution was a part of, and how events in the Caribbean and European rivalries impacted the events in the colonies in unexpected ways. So much depended on the appearance of navies off NY and Phila, and so much was determined by their successes or failures. Very interesting.
August 5, 2016
An extraordinary read that puts the American Revolution in a different context by viewing it through a different lens. By looking at how sea power shaped the war, Willis puts the Revolution not in the context of a regional conflict but a global conflict encompassing multiple continents. This book really is unique among the books I've read on the subject on how it treats the Revolution. I highly recommend it!
November 15, 2016
A fantastic book which balances a high level of context setting and narrative story telling. Willis deeply understands naval affairs and the sea and he uses that to explain what naval power could and could not do for the Patriots. Very excited to read more books by Willis.
May 31, 2020
Fair warning: I read this while on a fishing boat in the Bering Sea, sometime during the winter, so my choice of reading material might be biased. Anywho...
A refreshing perspective about the road to independence. American children, myself included, are taught a PowerPoint version of the Revolution as a series of land-based events that is often exaggerated hero worship of our founders.
This book has no shortage of sources that argues the significance of naval activity and chance throughout the Revolution. From rivers to the sea, Willis directs us across the globe and points to countries and theaters not usually included when discussing the founding. We see the usual players - the colonies, Britain, and France - plus other nations seeking an advantage all over the world. From the local waters of Boston Harbor to the far flung reaches of the Indian Ocean and even to the English Channel itself, surely, this must be a prequel to the world wars of the 1900s.
Easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable, I found myself flying through the chapters whenever I had a free moment. I was almost disappointed that I finished it, as I was running low on reading material.
A refreshing perspective about the road to independence. American children, myself included, are taught a PowerPoint version of the Revolution as a series of land-based events that is often exaggerated hero worship of our founders.
This book has no shortage of sources that argues the significance of naval activity and chance throughout the Revolution. From rivers to the sea, Willis directs us across the globe and points to countries and theaters not usually included when discussing the founding. We see the usual players - the colonies, Britain, and France - plus other nations seeking an advantage all over the world. From the local waters of Boston Harbor to the far flung reaches of the Indian Ocean and even to the English Channel itself, surely, this must be a prequel to the world wars of the 1900s.
Easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable, I found myself flying through the chapters whenever I had a free moment. I was almost disappointed that I finished it, as I was running low on reading material.
January 9, 2023
Well written and enjoyable read. It’s not hard to tell that it was written by an Englishman. Definitely tilted toward the British Navy however, I gave a full 5 stars because the author did seem to try and present the other side. As an avid lover of anything historical from the age of sail I thought highly of the book. If you are French or Spanish you may not agree lol. Revolutionary War Americans were not treated too well however having gone from zero to a small naval fighting force overnight this can be forgiven compared to what the British Navy was at the time. Mr. Willis did a great job of showing what was happening worldwide and how it impacted the war. So, if you are a fan of the Revolutionary War and/or the age of sail I highly encourage this read. If you are just a history buff then I really recommend reading this book. You may gain a new passion!
March 11, 2021
Very disappointed. I have been looking for a book that discusses the compositions of the British and French fleets during the revolution, how many of each ship type they had, how many guns each had, and an analysis of the strategic approaches of the various sides. Despite the title "Struggle for Seapower", THIS IS IN NO WAY THAT BOOK. This is mainly a discussion of individual battles/encounters at sea stitched together with rudimentary descriptions of what was happening on land at the time. It's as if the author got tired about writing about naval matters and decided to spend a lot of time talking about the land of war as a change of pace. Why this got past the editor and publisher is a mystery.
August 11, 2023
Wilkes is keen to point out that Sea power is not necessarily about navies, but of any kind of operation that involves moving across a body of water. This includes operations on lakes and rivers, and the use of boats to move men and supplies in conjunction with land campaigns,
Wilkes narrative goes beyond battles to explore in the strategic impacts of sea power in political and economic decisions (in both actual sea power and the mere fear of it). He also details the culture, the smells, the sights, and the work that goes into building materials, logistics, and the basic health challenges of shipboard operations.
Willis's work is a celebration of the operational and logistical prowess from a man who understands the daunting complexity and details of any Naval operation.
Wilkes narrative goes beyond battles to explore in the strategic impacts of sea power in political and economic decisions (in both actual sea power and the mere fear of it). He also details the culture, the smells, the sights, and the work that goes into building materials, logistics, and the basic health challenges of shipboard operations.
Willis's work is a celebration of the operational and logistical prowess from a man who understands the daunting complexity and details of any Naval operation.
June 20, 2025
Informative and intelligent Adam Willis’ book, The Struggle for Sea Power, explores, in a thoroughly engaging way, a period in history that surrounds the American war of independence. Its subtitle, “The Royal Navy against the World”, explains this complex period nicely. Opportunism, unbelievable incompetence, immense bravery, bravado, political ambition, poor communication and greed drive the various participants (both national and individual) to change the Georgian world and presage other major global events - The French Revolution, Napoleonic Wars, The most successful period of the British Empire. Read against the background of current events I hope we can learn from the mistakes of our ancestors.
September 30, 2018
Excellent narrative of naval warfare and its impact on the Revolution. Adds a lot of texture re the importance of conventional naval forces, with a particular emphasis on the lack of British preparedness and decisions about fleet disposition. Excellent treatment of how “water” warfare on lakes and rivers were central to land campaigns and how American personnel regularly outwitted and outfought British forces led by army officers with no understanding of fighting on water. First rate book from a first rate author/scholar.
May 17, 2017
Lots of good info. Definitely written with a Sea Power bias but makes great arguments that seem realistic. So much data on the topic that chapters sometimes are hard to transition because you feel left without everything. It would be impossible to include everything in a book with less than 1000 pages so author tries to make his arguments with key points over many years...
August 28, 2017
Carefully written and terrifically researched, this text brought me a great deal of enlightenment about the American Revolution and the role of ocean and inland waterways in the strategy of the war. The story very properly begins before war is declared. Gunpowder was a crucial commodity.
I would not have given this book the same title as the classic 1903 text on the same subject.
I would not have given this book the same title as the classic 1903 text on the same subject.
October 18, 2020
Well written and different take on the naval war in the American Revolution. Battles are covered in more summary fashion, and the breath of topics includes the use of navy and merchant ships in logistics, and troop transportation and the impact on the war. I enjoyed the different slant on the topic.
April 2, 2024
Fascinating historical account detailing events and personalities of American, British, French, and Spanish commanders, captains and politicians unfamiliar to me as presented in my high school and college history courses. I delighted in learner the dynamics and causes and effects in the relationships between countries.
February 7, 2021
Excellent read on an undercover Ed topic.
Loved it.
Loved it.
May 13, 2025
Audible/Kindle
Absolutely superb account of Rev War naval history! The organization is logical and impeccably laid out. Willis’ prose are surprisingly bouncy and I never felt the weight of the topic pull me under. It’s a fun read (and listen-great narrator).
I can’t imagine a better book on the topic. I had no real grasp of the global implication of our “first civil war.”
Fascinating stuff.
Absolutely superb account of Rev War naval history! The organization is logical and impeccably laid out. Willis’ prose are surprisingly bouncy and I never felt the weight of the topic pull me under. It’s a fun read (and listen-great narrator).
I can’t imagine a better book on the topic. I had no real grasp of the global implication of our “first civil war.”
Fascinating stuff.
May 24, 2021
“The Struggle for Sea Power: a naval history of the American Revolution,” by Sam Willis (Norton, 2015). Willis has a provocative, fascinating perspective: that control of the seas and waterways around and within the Colonies was at least as important as the land campaigns. He also says it was a world war: once the French and Spanish got involved, there were battles---sea battles—in India, South Africa and the Atlantic. The Royal Navy was stretched so thin that it could not muster enough force against the colonies. He shows how, time and again, sea power was crucial: the British had to evacuate Boston by sea, evacuated southern ports by sea. The Americans had to get their gunpowder and artillery through smugglers and blockade runners from the Caribbean and elsewhere. Even the land campaigns involved water: Benedict Arnold’s invasion of Quebec traveled mostly by canoe and raft up New England rivers. If Washington did not have those Gloucester fisherman, he would have been trapped in Brooklyn; he would not have been able to cross the Delaware---three or four times. The British attack on New York began with an amphibious assault on Brooklyn (the Brits even had specially designed landing craft), and then there was an amphibious assault on Manhattan. The mere threat of the appearance of a British or French fleet affected morale, caused currency to rise and fall, forced the commanders to change their plans. If Burgoyne had continued down the lakes (which the British controlled) he would have been able to get down to Albany and then New York with little trouble. Instead, he set out through the woods, and was cut off and trapped. Willis also details the problems of the ships: getting worn out, sails getting thin, sailors growing sick with scurvy or just exhausted from all the time at sea. He shows that the French were actually quite good at sea: their ships were better, and with the right admirals they were well-trained and gave as good as they got. Lots of good illustrations. There are a few little technical errors, but generally very accurate as far as I could tell. Fine book. And a very easy, quick read.
http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detai...
http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detai...
July 25, 2016
This book has expanded my knowledge of the American Revolution is an area not often considered - the naval history. Oh, yes, I knew of John Paul Jones, Valcour Island on Lake Champlain led by that Arnold fellow, and the British fleets occupying Boston, Philadelphia and New York harbors. Yes, the French fleet helped the surrender at Yorktown. I was not fully aware of the global scope of the naval side of the war; to include Spain, Holland, Russia and some smaller countries.
In his epilogue Willis makes two interesting points. 1. ... - "had the British chosen a purely naval strategy in 1775 over one that favored a land campaign, the revolution - or at least "this" revolution - would have been still-born" p.466. 2. ..."the independence of America heralded the period of Britain's greatest imperial strength." p. 465.
Contains a valuable glossary, extensive footnotes and a good index.
All in all, a book worth reading.
In his epilogue Willis makes two interesting points. 1. ... - "had the British chosen a purely naval strategy in 1775 over one that favored a land campaign, the revolution - or at least "this" revolution - would have been still-born" p.466. 2. ..."the independence of America heralded the period of Britain's greatest imperial strength." p. 465.
Contains a valuable glossary, extensive footnotes and a good index.
All in all, a book worth reading.
April 29, 2016
An extremely well written account by Sam Willis. The research, the knowledge, the entertainment, the fantastic prose makes it #1 pick for 2016. Most people when asked how many navies were in the American Revolution will probably say 3. One startling fact of this great novel there were 25! This book will bring to life what very little was learned in school about sea power. The power of the sea did not just cover the Atlantic, no mate, there was the Caribbean, The Baltic, The North Sea to add to the global war that it was. This is a classic extremely written and the knowledge the reader amasses is simply priceless. So what are you waiting for? Read and enjoy!
August 31, 2016
This book is not simply a recounting of battles. Rather it also deals with the maritime policies of all of the combatant powers, and indeed several powers whose naval policies influenced the course of events. It also emphasizes the effects on policies of battles and indeed simple movements of naval forces that did not cause shots to be fired.
Willis provides a reminder of how much the nascent republic was a litoral society, and where extending inland, often doing so by rivers and streams. Emphasis is given to the global nature of the conflict--an angle often missing from acoounts that focus on the American poit of view.
All in all, a fresh take on a familiar topic.
Willis provides a reminder of how much the nascent republic was a litoral society, and where extending inland, often doing so by rivers and streams. Emphasis is given to the global nature of the conflict--an angle often missing from acoounts that focus on the American poit of view.
All in all, a fresh take on a familiar topic.
September 5, 2016
A fantastic re-evaluation of the Revolutionary War!!!!
It was won on the water every bit as much as on land.
Boats and ships on the rivers and lakes.
The Spanish and French on the Oceans.
Did the commanding general have a senior naval expert on his staff? (Washington did, the British did not)
Wow!!!
It was won on the water every bit as much as on land.
Boats and ships on the rivers and lakes.
The Spanish and French on the Oceans.
Did the commanding general have a senior naval expert on his staff? (Washington did, the British did not)
Wow!!!
October 3, 2016
Excellent book. I had never considered how sea power affected the Revolution, and had absolutely no idea of the international effect it made. I've read very little on the American Revolution, so this had a lot of new information, and I think, provides a pretty good overall view of the war, and how it set the scene for the state of the european navies coming into the French Revolution, and the Napoleonic Wars.
I'm very much looking forward to reading more of Sam Willis' work.
I'm very much looking forward to reading more of Sam Willis' work.
March 12, 2016
This is a historical missive of the first quality. Willis, now one of the world's finest British maritime historians, parses the wars of the American Revolution carefully, using a chronological methodology, and the explicating the events beautifully. Willis writes as well as he researches, making this a foundation resource for any American or British navel historian. Truly brilliant.
July 17, 2016
Very well written and interesting book. Quite informative regarding the sea battles of the American Revolution. When I think of the Revolutionary War I tend to think about land battles and never realized the impact the French and Spanish navies and American privateers had on the outcome of the war.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews