Books about naval strategy or key battles?
 

I was watching the story on "300" on the History Channel last night and I found myself really fascinated about Themistocles and the battle of Artemisium. Anyone recommend any good books that cover this?

And while we are at it, how about books based on naval strategy, either ancient times or current.

Robert K. Massie's Castles of Steel, about the conflicts between dreadnoughts in WWI, covers this topic pretty thoroughly.

The obvious one is Alfred T. Mahan's The Influence of Sea Power Upon History. Not only a fairly good history book, but a book that influenced history.

The best book (IMHO) about key battles in history is JFC Fuller´s "Military History of the Western World". The massive three volumes covers from the earliest battles in human history to the end of ww2. (And yes, he´s the same Fuller who developed britain tank tactics after WW1)

The best book (again IMHO) about naval strategy & tactics is the classic Fleet Tactics & Coastal combat, by Wayne P. Hughes Jr. (text used in the Naval Academy)

My two cents...

Here are a few books in my library on the subject:

The Influence of Sea Power on Ancient History
by Chester G. Starr

and

Greek and Roman Naval Warfare; A Study of Strategy, Tactics, and Ship Design from Salamis (480 B.C. to Actium)
by William Ledyard Rodgers

and

Naval Warfare Under Oars, 4th to 16th Centuries; A Study of Strategy, Tactics and Ship Design.
by William Ledyard Rodgers

The Uboat Commanders Handbook

Get it for 8.95 from Amazon.

One of the best laid out military manuals I have every read. The only thing that comes close in the US Army is the Ranger Handbook.

Battledrill + common sense advice.:up:

Currently reading an anthology of Mahan's writings. The man was a genious of his time.
Yet, he keeps refrencing his own time period. It makes me wish we had a big naval strategy game with Spanish/American War - WWI steamers in it :yep:.

The books about naval warefare that i would recoomend and about strategy of war at sea. On the top of list:
"The War at Sea" by captain S.W. Roskill in 4 volums ( it 5 books as vol 3 is in 2 parts )
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Those who had "10 years & 20 days" by K.Donitz knows that author often apply to Roskill's book.
Then ofcours for those sub - maniacs and U-boat war, there is so many titles to recommend. For me there are 3 fundamental
"Hitlers U-boat War" by C.Blair ( 2 volums)
"U-boat operations of the second world war" by K.Wynn (2 volums)
"The U-boat war in the Atlantic 1939 - 45 " by. G.Hassler
There is one more author that i do support on his books: R.Woodman and his "Arctic Convoys 1941 - 45" & "Malta Convoys 1940 - 43"

These are my fundaments of sources which i would recommend to everyone. Additional those guys from London can brows Leicester Square area with so many book shops which offer several different titles. Last time i was there could not pass indifferent. I effect i did comeback home with about 10 books, lost fortune and good relationships at home for few days. However complete history of 1st and 2 nd U-boat flotillas by Lawrence Patterson are at my home, and many other books which i will not describe here. If any of You want to buy a really good source of inforamtion look for Conway publications.