The Manning Of The British Navy During The Seven Years War

An analysis of how Britain developed a superb supply system for the navy, with beneficial consequences both for victory in war and for Britain's economic development.

The book discusses captains' career development, the opportunities for making money and reputation, how they looked after their crews, and how they were controlled by the Admiralty. It argues that the navy in this period was highly efficient, with promotion being primarily based on merit.

"Three months after Hitler's storm troopers marched into Poland on September 1, 1939, Ian Stuart Menzies was called from his job as an embryo reporter on the Glasgow Herald to become an embryo midshipman in the Royal Navy. His service took him from the Shetland Islands to the West Indies, to Africa's Belgian Congo; from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, from Dakar to Malta and then to Algiers, and on five different ships, three of them destroyers. He took part in the landings in North African [sic], Sicily, Italy and on D-Day in Normandy... His first visit to the United States was in 1943 to take over as executive officer of H.M.S. Stayner then being built at the Hingham Shipyard. The second visit in 1945 was to become British Naval Information Officer in New York City and to marry Barbara Newton of Hingham, Massachusetts, whom he had met at the shipyard on his first visit. The marriage took place in the oldest church of public worship in continuous service in the United States - The Old Ship Church in Hingham on June 16, 1945."--p. [4] cover.

The Seven Years War (1756-1763) was the first global conflict and became the key factor in creating the British Empire. This book looks at Britain's maritime strategic, operational and tactical success (and failures), through a wide-ranging history of the Royal Navy's role in the war. By the end of the war in 1763 Britain was by no means a hegemonic power, but it was the only state capable of sustained global power projection on a global scale. Key to Britain's success was political and strategic direction from London, through the war planning of Pitt the Elder and the successful implementation of his policies by a stellar cast of naval and military leaders at an operational and tactical level. Martin Robson highlights the work of some of the key protagonists in the Royal Navy, such as Admiral Hawke whose appreciation of the wider strategic context at Quiberon Bay in 1759 decided the fate of North America, but he also provides insights into the experience of life in the lower decks at this time. Robson ultimately shows that the creation, containment and expansion of the British Empire was made possible by the exercise of maritime power through the Royal Navy.

The Seven Years? War was the world?s first global conflict, spanning five continents and the critical sea lanes that connected them. This book is the fullest account ever written of the French navy?s role in the hostilities. It is also the most complete survey of both phases of the war: the French and Indian War in North America (1754?60) and the Seven Years? War in Europe (1756?63), which are almost always treated independently. By considering both phases of the war from every angle, award-winning historian Jonathan R. Dull shows not only that the two conflicts are so interconnected that neither can be fully understood in isolation but also that traditional interpretations of the war are largely inaccurate. His work also reveals how the French navy, supposedly utterly crushed, could have figured so prominently in the War of American Independence only fifteen years later. ø A comprehensive work integrating diplomatic, naval, military, and political history, The French Navy and the Seven Years? War thoroughly explores the French perspective on the Seven Years? War. It also studies British diplomacy and war strategy as well as the roles played by the American colonies, Spain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, and Portugal. As this history unfolds, it becomes clear that French policy was more consistent, logical, and successful than has previously been acknowledged, and that King Louis XV?s conduct of the war profoundly affected the outcome of America?s subsequent Revolutionary War.

In this new edition of The Global Seven Years War, Daniel Baugh emphasizes the ways that sea power hindered French military preparations while also furnishing strategic opportunities. Special attention is paid to undertakings – always French – that failed to receive needed financial support. From analysis of original sources, the volume provides stronger evidence for the role and wishes of Louis XV in determining the main outline of strategy. By 1758, the French government experienced significant money shortage, and emphasis has been placed on the most important consequences: how this impacted war-making and why it was so worrying, debilitating and difficult to solve. This edition explains why the Battle of Rossbach in 1757 was a turning point in the Anglo-French War, suggesting that Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick’s winter campaign revitalized the British war effort which was, before that time, a record of failures. With comprehensive discussion of events outside of Europe, the volume sets the conflict on a world stage. One of the world’s leading naval historians, Baugh offers a detailed, evaluative and insightful narrative that makes this edition essential reading for students and scholars interested in military history, naval history, Anglo-French relations and the history of eighteenth-century Europe.

Specifically structured around research questions and avenues for further study, and providing the historical context to enable this further research, Modern Naval History is a key historiographical guide for students wishing to gain a deeper understanding of naval history and its contemporary relevance. Navies play an important role in the modern world, and the globalisation of economies, cultures and societies has placed a premium on maritime communications. Modern Naval History demonstrates the importance of naval history today, showing its relevance to a number of disciplines and its role in understanding how navies relate to their host societies. Richard Harding explains why naval history is still important, despite slipping from the attention of policy makers and the public since 1945, and how it can illuminate answers to questions relating to economic, diplomatic, political, social and cultural history. The book explores how naval history has informed these fields and how it can produce a richer and more informed historical understanding of navies and sea power.