The Encyclopedia of Sea Warfare from the First Ironclads to the Present Day

by Iain Parsons

"...covers the history from the first ironclads to the present day is divided into 30 chapters, each dealing with a period of warship development or conflict and features more than 600 different warships."

Genres: Military History, History

250 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Michael Burnam-Fink]

Sea Warfare is a detailed account of World War 1 and World War 2 naval warfare from a British perspective, book-ended by more general sections on the evolution of battleships from the ironclad to the Dreadnought, and looking towards the 1975 future of guided missiles and anti-submarine warfare. The book is one of those oddly nostalgic British Empire project, organized by a bunch of men who grew up thinking they'd rule the world, and instead the best they can manage is caretaking a legacy. For all that, it's comprehensive on what it covers, and while I wished for a little more context on shipbuilding during the Dreadnought race and interwar period, and the use of radar as a revolutionary technology, there's a lot here. The best feature by far is the artwork; over 250 large photos, paintings, and elevation drawings of warships.

[Mark]

The encyclopedia of Sea Warfare is a fine addition to any military enthusiat's library. This book gives a detailed and concise history of modern sea warfare from the early wooden ships of the 19th Century on through the battleships and aircraft carriers of today. Well illustrated with pertinent data, this book is a must for anyone wanting a nice quick reference book they can grab off the shelf when needed to find basic warship information.