General Naval Tactics: Theory and Practice, Hardcover

In General Naval Tactics, Naval War College professor and renowned tactical expert Milan Vego describes and explains those aspects of naval tactics most closely related to the human factor. Specifically, he explains in some detail the objectives and methods/elements of tactical employment of naval forces, command and control, combat support, tactical design, decision-making and planning/execution, leadership, doctrine, and training. Vego derives certain commonalities of naval tactics that occurred in recent and distant wars at sea. Many parts of his theoretical constructs are based on works of a number of well-known and influential naval theoreticians such as Admirals Alfred T. Mahan, Bradley A. Fiske, Raoul Castex, and Ren Daveluy.and influential naval theoreticians. Whenever possible, the author illustrates each aspect of theory by carefully selected examples from naval history--making the theory more understandable and interesting. Vego aims to present theory that is general in nature and therefore, more durable in its validity. The more general the theory, the greater the possibility of accommodating changes based on new interpretations of past events and as a result of gaining fresh insight from the lessons learned.

About author(s):Dr. Milan Vego is a University Professor and the Admiral R.K. Turner Professor of Operational Art at the Naval War College, in Newport, Rhode Island, since 1991. Obtaining political asylum in the United States in 1976, he served for twelve years as a naval officer and four years as 2nd Officer (Deck) in the Merchant Marine. He holds a PhD in Modern European History from George Washington University (1981). He also has a Master Mariner's license (1973). He has published numerous articles and essays in various professional journals and is the author of fourteen books, including Soviet Naval Tactics (1992); Battle for Leyte, 1944 (2006), and Operational Warfare At Sea (2009, 2017). His latest book is Exercising Control of the Sea (2020). Dr. Vego is also the author of the textbook Joint Operational Warfare (2007, 2009), used at the Naval War College and a number of other service colleges in the United States and overseas.