Mayday

A naval expert charts the rise and fall of America’s maritime supremacy—and what it means for the future of U.S. security and prosperity.

As with other powerful nations throughout history, maritime supremacy has been the key to America’s superpower status and the relative peace of the postwar era. But in the twenty-first century, the United States Navy’s combat fleet has dwindled to historic lows—the smallest since before World War I. At the same time, rival nations such as China have increased the size of their navies at an extraordinary rate.

As Seth Cropsey convincingly argues, the precipitous decline of the U.S. as a great seapower will have profound consequences sooner than we might think. In clear and concise language, Mayday tracks the modern evolution of U.S. maritime strength, where it stands now, and the likely consequences if changes are not made to both the Navy’s size and shape and to the United States’ strategic understanding of how to combine maritime and continental force.