Quality and luck over quantity: Alfred Thayer Mahan’s influence on the Imperial Japanese Navy in the early to mid-20th century
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The Imperial Japanese Navy’s doctrine of Kantai Kessen has strong roots in the theories of Alfred Thayer Mahan, including the concept of sea power. This article discussed the theory of Alfred Thayer Mahan on sea power, how a series of geographical, economic and political factors shape the formation of sea power, how the Imperial Japanese Navy, through their experiences in the Russo Japanese War, began utilizing the theory of sea power to shape the Kantai Kessen doctrine, and a series of endeavors that reflect such utilization. Through analysis of engagements during the Russo Japanese War, how Japan could be situated in Mahan’s theory, and the potential scenarios in a war against the United States, this article concludes that the experiences of the Russo Japanese War were not applicable to an engagement with the United States Navy, while the Japanese geographical situation makes it ill-suited for becoming a candidate of sea power in Mahan’s theory.
Source: Scholarly review .
DOI: 10.70121/001c.127056
Author: Zhouyuan Li
Language: English
Topic: Japanese History and Culture
Subfield: Cultural Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4405107728