‘Even during peace negotiations, one's position is not injured by the readiness of the battle fleet. In short, it should be an accepted apothegm, with those responsible for the conduct of military operations, that “War is business,” to which actual fighting is incidental.’
The Spanish-American War was a pivotal event that marked the end of Spanish colonialism and the beginning of the United States’ global colonial expansion. There is no one better suited to analyze the Spanish-American War than Mahan since he was personally involved in developing the naval strategy against Spain. In the book, Mahan gives a clear summary of the events that took place during the war while also providing readers the elementary concepts of warfare. One of the most important lessons provided by Mahan is the importance of a navy capable of long range striking power due to the large distances involved in the war.
Alfred Thayer Mahan was an American naval officer, historian, and one of the most influential naval strategists of the late 19th to early 20th century. His most important work is The Influence of Sea Power Upon History which influenced the naval policies of many countries in the world.