Sacred Vessels: The Cult Of The Battleship And The Rise Of The U.S. Navy

by Robert L O'connell

Overview

Writing critically about something you have come to regard with affection must provoke mixed emotions. As I learned more and more about the modern battleship's shortcomings, I found myself, like so many before me, falling under its spell. I have traveled hundreds of miles to visit these wonderful ships, reverently preserved like a necklace of talismans around our nation's coasts. I have stood in awe under the great guns, wondering what it must have been like to hear them fire. Perhaps it is true that their sound and fury signified very little in terms of actual destructive power. But most people thought they did, and that was and still is important. Besides, for the most part, we were proud of those ships. Now we live in a time of weapons so terrible that we must actually hide them-beneath the ground and below the surface of the sea. But, like battleships, they keep the peace precisely because of what others think they can do. All things being equal, who would not prefer the dreadnoughts?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781000310641
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/21/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	409
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

O'connell, Robert L

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations -- Preface -- 1. Introduction: A Fatal Vision -- 2. In the Beginning: Traditions of the Naval World -- 3. Upon This Rock: The Technological Revolution and the Prophet Mahan -- 4. Crusaders in Blue and the Grail of Seapower -- 5. Sacred Vessel: The Dreadnought -- 6. The Evil Below ... and Above -- 7. Trial by Fire: Battle in the North Sea -- 8. Crisis of Faith: Protecting the North Atlantic -- 9. Martyrdom: Dreadnoughts in the Wake of Versailles -- 10. Requiem: The Washington Naval Conference -- 11. Life After Death: Rehabilitating the Dreadnought -- 12. Conclusion: Vampires of Seapower -- Appendix -- Notes -- About the Book and Author -- Index.

Editorial Reviews

In this cautionary policy study of the battleship and its role in the development of the U.S. Navy, O'Connell ( Of Arms and Men: A History of War, Weapons, and Aggression , LJ 12/88)ok -KRAD provides a disturbing view of weapons technology and the human element. Although people and technology should be integrated, O'Connell says, when it comes to battleships they have simply coexisted, resulting in naval tactical underachievement. Moreover, he adds, battleships have failed the acid test of providing maximum ``bang for the buck.'' Readers should also see Norman Friedman's U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History (Naval Inst. Pr., 1985)no LJ -KRAD for technical details of battleship development and one of the excellent individual ship histories such as Jonathan G. Utley's recently published An American Battleship at Peace and War: The U.S.S. ``Tennessee'' ( LJ 5/15/91) for details of battleship life. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries. (Photos, notes, and appendixes not seen.)-- Harold N. Boyer, Marple P.L., Broomall, Pa.

Library Journal

O'Connell argues that the steam-powered battleship has been ineffectual from its birth except as a symbol of power and glory, and a goal for aspiring naval officers. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews