Naval policy between the wars, Vol 2, The Period of Reluctant Rearmament
by Stephen Roskill
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First published in 1968 and 1976, the two volumes of this work still constitute the only authoritative study of the broad geo-political, economic and strategic factors behind the inter-war development of the Royal Navy and, to a great extent, that of its principal rival, the United States Navy. Roskill conceived the work as a peacetime equivalent of the official naval histories, filling the gap between the First World War volumes and his own study of the Navy in the Second. As such it is show more marked by the extensive use of British and American sources, from which Roskill extracted shrewd and balanced conclusions that have stood the test of time. Picking up the story in 1930, this volume covers the rise of the European dictatorships on the one hand, alongside continuing attempts at controlling arms expenditure through diplomacy and treaties. Eventually, Italian, German and indeed Japanese aggression diminished the prospects for peace, to the point where Britain felt forced to rearm. How the Navy used the precious few years leading up to the outbreak of war is a crucial section of the book and forms a fitting conclusion to this important study of the inter-war years. show lessTags
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This turns into the story of why the UK settled for building the King George V class of battleships, and the inception and reasons for the creation of the carriers with armoured flight decks that served the allies so well off Okinawa. Roskill has the advantage of being a serving officer during this period, and more correctly translates the naval officers' difficulties with the politicking of this period.
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27+ Works 591 Members
Captain Stephen Roskill was born in 1903 and educated at the Royal Naval Colleges of Osborne and Dartmouth. He commanded HMS Warspite at the beginning of the Second World War before being attached to the Naval Staff. After further sea service, he became Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence. He wrote the Official History of the Royal Navy in World show more War Two in four volumes, and knew Churchill and most of the Royal Navy officers about which he writes. show less
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Naval policy between the wars, Vol 2, The Period of Reluctant Rearmament
- Original title
- Naval policy between the wars, Vol 2, The Period of Reluctant Rearmament
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, History
- DDC/MDS
- 359.03 — Society, government, & culture Public administration & military science Naval forces and warfare Policy & Grand Strategy
- LCC
- VA454 — Naval Science Navies: Organization, distribution, naval situation Navies: Organization, distribution, naval situation Other regions or countries
- BISAC
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- 43
- Popularity
- 689,233
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.75)
- Languages
- Danish, English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 2
