ABSTRACT
Naval or maritime strategy provides a framework for the employment of one’s naval forces both in peacetime and in time of war. Maritime strategy provides both the framework and the direction for the conduct of war at sea. Whether maritime strategy is defensive or offensive depends heavily on real or assumed naval combat potential or naval combat power. In a war between a major sea power and land power or a major and minor sea power, it is obvious which side is stronger and which one is weaker. Determining the stronger and weaker side is more difficult in the case of a war between relatively strong sea powers or two major land powers. The overall numerical strength of naval forces is often a poor indicator of its ability to perform its assigned missions in both peacetime and time of war. Maritime strategy provides the most important input to the development of one’s operational and tactical doctrine.
