User:Mfaust765/The Necessity for a powerful Navy for a Nation to be powerful

I ntroduction
The importance of a powerful Navy for the sake of National power has been clear for centuries. Every great Nation or Empire that has emerged since the Age of Discovery, did so with the help of a powerful Navy. The Royal Navy was a great example of that because it helped their Empire expand to all four corners of the globe. Even the United States built them selves upon that idea upon being granted their independence in the 1700’s. Water encompasses almost 75% of the earth so it is extremely important to dominate that portion of the earth. If a nation can dominate close to 75% of the surface of the globe then they are bound for success.

Table of Contents

I. History Ia. Royal Navy Ib. United States II. Over all Success of Navies III. Reasons for Success IV. Conclusion

I.  Navies have been sailing the seas for thousands of years. Over those years, the technologies and strategies they used transformed and developed into something that could be utilized for greater purposes. By the 1600's, Navies had become necessary for supporting exploration and colonization then in turn, trade and commerce. The nation who controlled the seas, would therefor be the wealthiest, and therefor create the most colonies. The importance of navies continued to grow over the next century until armored ships such as the Monitor and the Merrimack from the American Civil War. These two ships and others of their kind led to the submarines which Germany used to wreak havoc in the first and second world wars, Germany being a young and extremely powerful nation at the time. The United States has the most dominant modern day Navy and is quite arguably the most powerful nation in the world.

Ia. The Royal Navy became dominant in the 1600's and by the mid 1700's it had been used by the British Empire to expand their Empire to the four corners of the globe. They had a navy large enough to control the whole East Coast of North America, as well as the West Indies, India, Asia, Africa and even Australia while keeping their European rivals at bay. The empire was rooted on a strong Navy and became the greatest empire for decades thanks to it. Ib. The United States, upon its' birth, sought to immediately build a powerful Navy. Their Navy during the War was subpar and they would not survive another war that way. In an age where sea trade was the only way to obtain a sustainable economy they had to act fast. Upon their creation Thomas Jefferson stated that it was absolutely necessary for them to create a powerful Navy if they wanted to become a powerful nation. The Navy soon conquered privateer groups and grew over the next few decades until the Civil War with the Monitor and the Merrimack as their first new peak of Naval technology. They then entered World War I 40 years later and immediately learned the importance of a powerful Navy first hand and by the Second World War they had an absolutely dominant Navy that was able to support a Pacific Campaign as well as supporting the European front and change the tides of the war. As a result the United States was immediately a World Super power and continues to be in modern day thanks to the largest Navy in the World.

II. Throughout history dominant Navies have led nations and empires to become super powers. The British Empire and the United States of America are just a few examples. The influence of a powerful navy has proven time and time again to be a necessary factor in creating a successful nation since the Age of Exploration.

III. The navies are so successful in creating successful nations because especially in an era that did not have aviation technology, during the Age of Exploration, the sea was the only way to travel the globe. With that knowledge, world powers sought to create dominant navies to give them the upper hand in trade. Since nations relied on sea trade, the Navy was crucial for defending and supporting that trade so that goods and materials could be transported. With the ability to dominate the seas, one could dominate global trade and the economy. That is exactly how nations that came to power were able to obtain that power. As time passed and aviation technology emerged, the sea still remained crucial because with the invention of aircraft carriers they could still transport large defense forces by sea, much larger forces than just through the air. Much more products can be moved by sea than by air as well, so the seas remained just as important over time. Even in modern day, the most powerful Nation, the United States of America has the most dominant and largest Navy in the world. That is no coincidence.

IV. As a whole, Navies have proven to be the key to power since the Age of Exploration. The seas are extremely important for controlling trade, economy and conflicts. Without power at sea there can not be power for that nation. In a world that is almost 75% water it is absolutely crucial to hold your own in those parts of the world. With the use of the seas, a nation can gain wealth, territory and power. Without a powerful Navy, a nation is very likely to end up controlled by a nation with a powerful Navy.