Maneuver by the U.S. Navy in 20th Century Blue-Water Operations: Selected Historical Examples.

Maneuver in land warfare has been the subject of much study in modern times. The U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps in particular have devoted considerable emphasis to the examination of maneuver, as evidenced by the volumes of material produced on the subject. As a result, both of these services, as well as the U.S. Air Force, have incorporated maneuver in their respective warfighting doctrines. However, the U.S. Navy has only relatively recently began to develop a formal doctrine. Although the U.S. Navy has always used a doctrine, it has mainly existed in an informal, unwritten form. With recent efforts to formalize its doctrine, the U.S. Navy must, among other things, articulate warfighting concepts. A critical concept that requires exploration is blue-water naval maneuver. This thesis used two case studies to examine the use of blue-water naval maneuver at the strategic and operational levels, in combat and noncombat environments. This thesis showed that naval maneuver is an effective technique in modern naval warfare and should be emphasized as a viable method of warfare in emerging U.S. Navy doctrine.