Navy An Illustrated History

In 1775, the newly created American Congress took the first step in the formation of what, some two centuries later, would become the largest and greatest navy in the world. From those days of John Paul Jones and his associates who dared to challenge Britains Royal Navy, the mightiest navy the world had ever seen, Americas Continental Navy has grown, along with the country, to become the worlds foremost naval force. Today, the United States Navy is a highly sophisticated armed force that is capable of projecting military power to all corners of the world. This in-depth volume describes the battles, the ships and aircraft, and the great naval captains of American history who shaped it into the premiere seaborne military force in the world today.Profusely illustrated with dramatic paintings, evocative photographs and informative maps, this book conveys the fascinating history of that force. It tells of the officers and men who fought the battles and created the strategies, tracing the progress and expansion of technology and tactics from the early colonial days through the furious combat of World War II at sea against Japan to shielding the nation from the threats of the Cold War and today facing the challenges of the twenty-first century.192 pages HB