Abstract
Abstract Prior to 1914, British strategic thinkers considered the question of how to maintain British world power in the twentieth century. They developed visions of co-operation at sea between not only Britain and the Dominions, but also other states in the international system. During the First World War, these ideas merged with plans for the League of Nations, which British policymakers envisaged as a tool for enforcing peace through the use of sea power. This article explores these ideas, providing a different interpretation of the origins of the League, and the maritime strategic thought of key individuals including Halford Mackinder.
Highlights
‘Peace throughout the oceans and seas of the world’: British maritime strategic thought and world order, 1892–19191
An organized, internationalized form of this sea power would make this even more potent, reducing the likelihood of war through deterrence, while standing ready to defeat any recalcitrant states in the new world order
These visions provided a potential solution to the broader question of ‘imperial defence’ – how would Britain safeguard a far-flung maritime empire in an evolving world order, with new rivals emerging across the North Sea and beyond?5 These strategic concerns were part of a broader fear of imperial decline
Summary
‘Peace throughout the oceans and seas of the world’: British maritime strategic thought and world order, 1892–19191.
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