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The Philolexian Society of Columbia University

Alfred Thayer Mahan

Columbia College, Class of 1858

Author of The Influence of Sea Power upon History; twice president of the U.S.

From Notable Alumni · Foundation editorial

Author of The Influence of Sea Power upon History; twice president of the U.S. Naval War College. Alfred Thayer Mahan (CC 1858) wrote one book that rearranged the geopolitics of the late nineteenth century: The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783 (1890), which argued that great-power supremacy depended on a battle fleet and the bases to provision it. The Kaiser kept a copy on his desk; Theodore Roosevelt had absorbed it before he was thirty; the United States, which had little reason in 1890 to want a blue-water navy, proceeded to build one. He served twice as president of the Naval War College and produced enough sequels to keep the argument going through 1905.

Vital

Full name
Alfred Thayer Mahan

Columbia & the Society

Columbia
Class of 1858 (Columbia College)

Works (86)

  1. 1883 Gulf and Inland Waters
  2. 1890 The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783 · Naval / military history
  3. 1892 Influence of Sea Power upon the French Revolution and Empire, 1793-1812
  4. 1892 The Influence of Sea Power upon the French Revolution and Empire · Naval / military history
  5. 1897 Interest of America in Sea Power, Present and Future
  6. 1897 Life of Nelson
  7. 1897 The life of Nelson, the embodiment of the sea power of Great Britain
  8. 1899 Lessons of the war with Spain
  9. 1900 Story of the War in South Africa, 1899-1900
  10. 1900 The Problem of Asia and Its Effect Upon International Policies
  11. 1900 The war in South Africa
  12. 1902 Retrospect & prospect
  13. 1902 Types of Naval Officers Drawn from the History of the British Navy · The American Historical Review
  14. 1905 Sea Power in Its Relations to the War of 1812
  15. 1907 From Sail to Steam
  16. 1907 Some neglected aspects of war
  17. 1908 Naval Administration and Warfare
  18. 1910 Interest of America in International Conditions
  19. 1911 Naval Strategy
  20. 1911 Naval Strategy Compared and Contrasted with the Principles and Practice of Military Operations on Land
  21. 1912 Armaments and Arbitration
  22. 1913 Major Operations of the Navies in the War of American Independence
  23. 1917 The Interest of America in Sea Power
  24. 1920 Admiral Farragut · New York: Appleton, 1920
  25. 1969 Types of Naval Officers · Freeport: Books for Libraries Press, 1969
  26. 1975 Letters and Papers of Alfred Thayer Mahan, Vol. I: 1847-1889 · Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1975
  27. 1975 Letters and Papers of Alfred Thayer Mahan, Vol. II: 1890-1901 · Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1975
  28. 1975 Letters and Papers of Alfred Thayer Mahan, Vol. III: 1902-1914 · Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1975
  29. 1991 Mahan on Naval Strategy · Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1991
  30. 1858 A letter addressed to Captain A.T. Mahan in regard to freedom of private property on the sea from capture during war
  31. 1858 Anglo-Boer War from the Beginning of Hostilities to the Fall of Pretoria With Original Illustrations
  32. 1858 Armaments and arbitration, or, The place of force in the international relations of states
  33. 1858 David Farragut
  34. 1858 Deniz Stratejisi
  35. 1858 Der einfluss der seemacht auf die geschichte
  36. 1858 Futsukoku Kakumei jidai kaijō kenryoku shiron
  37. 1858 Hai quan lun
  38. 1858 Influence de la puissance maritime dans l'histoire, 1660-1783
  39. 1858 Influence of Sea Power upon History
  40. 1858 Influence of Sea Power upon the French Revolution and Empire, 1793-1812 2 Volume Set
  41. 1858 Is the Panama Canal Still Essential to the Defense of the United States and the Safety of the Free World
  42. 1858 Kaijō kenryoku shiron
  43. 1858 L'influenza del potere marittimo sulla storia (1660-1783)
  44. 1858 Lesson of the Spanish War
  45. 1858 Lessons of the war with Spain and other articles
  46. 1858 Letters and papers of Alfred Thayer Mahan
  47. 1858 Letters of Alfred Thayer Mahan to Samuel A'Court Ashe (1858-59)
  48. 1858 Life of Nelson Embodiment of the Sea Power of Grea
  49. 1858 Life of Nelson Set
  50. 1858 Life of Nelson, Volume I (Esprios Classics)
  51. 1858 Mahan et la maîtrise des mers
  52. 1858 Mahan on Naval Warfare
  53. 1858 Major Operations of the Navies/Amer Civl
  54. 1858 Major operations of the royal navy, 1762-1783
  55. 1858 Makers Of American History
  56. 1858 Motives to imperial federation
  57. 1858 Naval administration and warfare, some general principles, with other essays
  58. 1858 Navy in the Civil War
  59. 1858 Problem of Asia
  60. 1858 Relations of the church to the state
  61. 1858 Sea Power and the American Revolution
  62. 1858 Sea Power and the American Revolution 1775-1783
  63. 1858 Sea Power and the French Revolution and Empire
  64. 1858 Sea Power and the War of 1812
  65. 1858 Sea Power and World History
  66. 1858 Sea Power and World History 1660-1783
  67. 1858 Sea Power French Revolution Napoleon
  68. 1858 Sea Power in its Relations to the War of 1812 2 Volume Set
  69. 1858 Sea Power In The Relation To The War Of 1812 (2 Volumes)
  70. 1858 Some neglected aspects of war, together with the power that makes for peace
  71. 1858 Story of the War in South Africa
  72. 1858 Structure of the Te Deum considered devotionally
  73. 1858 Subordination in historical treatment
  74. 1858 Taiheiyo kaiken ron
  75. 1858 The battle of Trafalgar
  76. 1858 The Harvest Within
  77. 1858 The influence of sea power
  78. 1858 The Influence of Sea Power Upon History 16601783 Volume 27
  79. 1858 The influence of sea power upon the French Revolution andEmpire, 1793-1812
  80. 1858 The major operations of the navies in the War of American Idependence. --
  81. 1858 The Panama Canal & sea power in the Pacific
  82. 1858 The Persian Gulf and international relations
  83. 1858 The Problems of Asia and Its Effect upon the International-Political Balance of Power in the World
  84. 1858 The Royal Navy
  85. 1858 The world naval history of the late 18th century
  86. 1858 Unilateral force in international relations

Primary sources

Columbia College Today & other articles

Columbia College Today — vol. 32 (~1990), 'Alfred Thayer Mahan: The patron saint of American naval power' by Thomas Vinciguerra '85

CCT profile by Thomas Vinciguerra '85 explicitly identifies Mahan's Philolexian membership during his two years in Columbia College (before transferring to Annapolis). The profile marks the centenary of Mahan's The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 and covers his naval theory (six 'General Conditions Affecting Sea Power': Geographical Position, Physical Conformation, Extent of Territory, Number of Population, National Character, Character of Government); his teaching and presidency of the Naval War College; Theodore Roosevelt's ardent support ('There is no question that you stand head and shoulders above the rest of us!'); his 20+ books; and Kaiser Wilhelm's remark that 'Mahan on sea power was in every wardroom of every vessel in the Imperial German Navy' (per Columbia historian Henry Graff).

Columbia College Today — vol. 32 (~1990), 'Alfred Thayer Mahan: The patron saint of American naval power' by Thomas Vinciguerra '85 →

The Annals of the Philolexian Society (1912)

The Annals of the Philolexian Society (1912) Leaf / page 43

Named in The Annals of the Philolexian Society (1912) at the referenced leaf.

Cardozo, History of the Philolexian Society (1902)

Cardozo, History of the Philolexian Society (1902) Leaf / page 5

Named in Cardozo, History of the Philolexian Society (1902) at the referenced leaf.

Maxwell, Catalogue of Columbia Graduates (1916)

Maxwell, Catalogue of Columbia Graduates (1916) Leaf / page 1000

Named in Maxwell, Catalogue of Columbia Graduates (1916) at the referenced leaf.

External references

Community-maintained record

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