News, Articles and Comment

Ed. RAdm James Goldrick RAN provided the first chapter to the NR’s centenary publication, Dreadnought to Daring (2012), in which he conducted a prosopographical study of the Naval Review’s founders. A 50 minute read.

BRE. The latest book review is now available. It considers an important and timely edited volume examining the role of naval power in the Indo-Pacific.

Ed. This article, drawing on German-language sources, presents a fresh biographical sketch of Maximilian von Spee’s naval career, a man of his time who realistically embodied German sea power, in the Mahanian tradition, until his demise at the Falkland Islands on 8 December 1914. A 20 minute read.

Ed. Our correspondent considers some of the formidable challenges the PLAN would need to overcome to make an amphibious invasion of Taiwan a realistic proposition, and the long-term hybrid warfare alternatives to which the PRC may turn. A 10 minute read.

Ed. Nuclear submarines, along with the aircraft carrier, have become the ultimate symbols of sea power, but their adoption and use remain not only technically complex and expensive, but also diplomatically and politically controversial. The author surveys this background in the case of the Royal Navy. Winner of the Eric Grove prize. A 5 minute read.

Ed. Firstly a bit of good news. A warm welcome to BMT Group, who have joined the Naval Review as our first Corporate Sponsor. Also, a particular thank you to our female membership and supporters who have been pulling out the stops, and as a consequence I am delighted to report that seven articles in this edition have been written, and contributed to, by women. Dr James Smith’s article on pg 264 deserves special mention, for those that follow the website Forum where we have enjoyed a serious debate over how the country failed to hold on to a maritime strategy in the 20th century. With the weight of articles we are currently receiving we are unable to reproduce this debate beyond the article in this edition, but please consider going online and joining in!

Ed. As the perils of global conflict increase, alarm bells ring in defence analysts’ corridors. Concern over immediate deficiencies renew calls for Jeune Ecole and continentalist approaches, when, as Nelson knew, there simply may be no alternative to ‘want of frigates’.

BRE. The latest book review is now available. It considers an edited volume exploring the development of Western maritime strategy in the 21st century.

Ed. Matthew Wills paints a vivid picture of Churchill’s crossing to Newfoundland for the famous August 1941 Atlantic Conference meeting with Roosevelt. The firm hand of Captain John C Leach of HMS Prince of Wales ensured a smooth crossing for this high diplomatic mission. A 10 minute read.