"A Tale of Two Centuries"
Navy League’s 2000 Almanac of Seapower Available Now
"The old century had come to an end and the United States, its armed services triumphant from victory in a splendid little war over a technologically inferior adversary, was ready to take its rightful place among the major military and economic powers of the world." With these opening words from his introduction to the 2000 Almanac of Seapower, Navy League National President John R. Fisher sets the stage for his insightful summary of how past is prologue for the U.S. sea services today.
Fisher pulls no punches in describing how the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard—operating at the highest tempo in U.S. peacetime history—face growing readiness problems inflicted by the continuing mismatch between U.S. strategic requirements and available force structure. In order to cope with the unrelenting pace of operational demands, the Navy was forced to gap its presence in several regional hot spots at critical times during the past year—increasing the risk to the security interests of the United States and its overseas allies.
"Commitments have been increasing annually, without commensurate increases in funding," Fisher writes. "Ships, aircraft, and weapons systems are wearing out—and so are our military people."
During the past year, the U.S. sea services’ operational tempo reached a new high point—with five aircraft carrier battle groups and two amphibious ready groups involved in combat operations with Serbia and Iraq. Their accomplishments--and the past year’s major defense, political-military, and maritime issues--are clearly detailed in eight stimulating essays by recognized defense writers. According to former Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Charles C. Krulak, the Navy League’s Almanac of Seapower "is the premier resource on the sea services."
This year’s Almanac--the most comprehensive and authoritative one-volume reference on the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and U.S.-flag merchant marine—includes several exciting features. To mark the transition to a new century, noted combat submariner and historian Edward L. Beach Jr. captures the U.S. Navy’s ongoing transformation in his keynote essay on the implications of the past 100 years of U.S. sea power. Well-known naval analyst, consultant, and author Norman Polmar offers a stimulating review of the past year’s major books in the maritime arena. Updated and expanded information also is provided on all ships, aircraft, and weapons systems of the U.S. sea services. The illustrated listing of top U.S. defense officials, sea-service flag officers, and Marine Corps general officers appears in full color for the first time.
Selected segments of the 2000 Almanac of Seapower—including Fisher’s introduction, all feature essays, Polmar’s 1999 bibliographic essay, and narratives relating to the U.S. sea services—are accessible now on line at the Navy League’s homepage (www.navyleague.org).
Printed copies of the 312-page full-color Almanac, affordably priced at $14.95 postage paid, may be ordered from the Navy League of the United States by calling (800) 356-5760 ext. 566.
Founded in 1902, the Navy League of the United States is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting activities of America’s sea services. Programs of the Navy League raise awareness of the importance of sea power to global security and economic well being. For more about the Navy League of the United States, visit www.navyleague.org.
|
