Naval history typically evokes battles at sea and other heroic episodes. Lord Nelson’s attack on the French and Spanish fleets off Cape Trafalgar in 1805 that ended with his own death amidst triumph is a famous example. Americans might recall John Paul Jones’s defiant reply that he had “not yet begun to fight” when challenged to surrender in 1779 while his ship fought HMS Serapis with masts entangled. Dramatic events that draw attention comprise only part of a larger story about war at sea. The institutional development, planning, and professional ethos behind naval operations provide the context that made famous victories possible. Bringing those factors into the picture gives a fuller view of how major events came to pass and why they matter. It also sheds light on current debates about readiness and security policy by showing how peacetime efforts shape wartime effectiveness.
