How Did the US Navy Get So Powerful? - Evolution from the 13 Colonies to WWII
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Published 2019-10-19
In this history documentary we explore the history of the US Navy. We begin in the colonial period of British rule where most of the coastal defenses were undertaken by jerry-rigged sloops and schooners while the Royal Navy handled the larger engagements. With the outbreak of the American Revolution however the Continental Congress was forced to create its own Continental Navy. This was composed of a small number of small frigates while the bulk of the American fleet actually consisted of privateers. The US fleet managed to score some wins at sea but it was the assistance of the French Navy which helped turn the tides of war. After the revolution, the new but bankrupt United States was forced to disband its navy. This had the effect of leaving it incredibly vulnerable. Over the following decades, the US Navy would slowly invest in rebuilding its fleet to combat threats from the Barbary Pirates and others who preyed on American shipping. The War of 1812 with the British saw the US score some early wins but saw it be utterly dominated at sea when the Royal Navy sailed in with a strong fleet that had just recently won the Battle of Trafalgar. The US Navy was expanded as a result of this embarrassment but it would be the conflict of the US Civil War which truly brought about a renaissance for American Fleet. During the conflict, the northern strategy at sea involved a blockade of the south which prompted an arms race between the Union Navy and the Confederate Navy. Ironclads and steam ships emerged from this evolutionary process and came dominate the waves. By the end of the war, the US Navy was the second largest in the world after the Royal Navy. The post war years however saw a decline in the Navy that would only be turned around with renewed conflict during the Spanish-American war. From this point on, the United States Navy was recognized as being critical to United States foreign policy. President Roosevelt would overseen it's renovation with the construction of the Great White Fleet which sailed around the world. However new technologies like the HMS Dreadnought risked making all contemporary warships obsolete. World War 1 came soon after and poured gasoline on the fire of innovation. Now the battle at sea extended to the air above the waves and the depths below it with the deployment of planes and submarines. Coming out of the First World War, the US Navy was recognized as an equal to the Royal Navy. The interwar years saw more funds poured into the American Fleet including the construction of new aircraft carriers. Word War 2 would see a massive overhaul of the US Navy as it battled the Imperial Japanese Navy across the Pacific. This conflict and the Cold War that followed solidified the power of the US Fleet and led it to become the force it is today.
I hope you enjoyed this documentary on US Navy history!
#History
#Navy
All Comments (21)
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See the US Fleet of WW2 in action in our latest video on the Battle of Midway: https://youtu.be/wyFZ3cJRrcg
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"Astounding victory, Admiral! But... how many died?" "Just one." "Unlucky bugger..." "No, he didn't even die to a shell, the heat just got to him."
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How Did the US Navy Get So Powerful? A: Money B: More Money C: ALL the Money D: Carriers...
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When your own navy has the 2nd largest airforce.
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When the continental navy was mentioned, all I heard was: "John Paul Jones was a merry old soul, a merry a old soul was he, he sailed to the east and he sailed to the west, and he helped set America free."
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Slaps hand on table * “okay guys what if we put ARMOR over the crew and guns?” “Oh. My . God”
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John Paul Jones: exists Royal Navy: "Thats got be the best pirate I've ever seen."
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Navy went from “Yes sir, I’ll bring her home at 9” to “Your daughter calls me daddy too”
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Imagine telling the members of the continental navy that at some point they will have one of the best navy’s in the world
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someone please tell advertisers to stop using "epic" in their ads
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A fairly interesting aspect of the rise of ironclads was the speculation that ramming tactics might make a resurgence before the rise of larger guns that were able to penetrate the new armour.
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War of 1812: America; Yo this is boring and getting expensive. England: Yeah i kinda actually agree. America: How about some peace? England: Eh fine.
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I'd recognize that Total War music anywhere. I really want an Empire 2.
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Meanwhile... on The actual History Channel: DID ANCIENT ALIENS HELP THE U.S. NAVY GET POWERFUL?
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“The war of Jenkins’ Ear” Poor guy. I hope he got it back.
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All you need to know about the US Navy’s history.... John Paul Jones
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"One of the strongest" The next 10 world navies don't even compare, dude.
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On land, they're cannons. On board a ship, and they become simply, "guns".
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American navy in 1812: chuckles I’m in danger American navy today: chuckles you’re in danger
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My father's father was a 20-some years old man when the U.S. declared war on Spain. As young men had done for basically ever he volunteered to serve the U.S. Army. That war was over so fast that he was still in boot camp in Florida when the U.S. decided it didn't need him anymore.
