THE NAVY FROM 1900 THROUGH WORLD WAR I

Basic Military Requirements (BMR) Revised Edition
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REVIEW 3 QUESTIONS Q1. List the naval developments during the last part of the 19th century. a. b. c. d. e. f. Q2. After the development of the ironclad, what was the Confederate Navy’s next achievement? Q3. During the Civil War, the U.S. Navy’s first admiral gave the famous order, “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead.” List the admiral’s name and battle where he gave the order. Q4. Describe how Alfred T. Mahan influenced naval strategy. Q5. What was the major cause of the Spanish-American War? Q6. Who was instrumental in quickly ending the Spanish-American War? THE NAVY FROM 1900 THROUGH WORLD WAR I Learning Objective: When you finish this chapter, you will be able to— Recognize the roles and responsibilities of the Navy during World War I. The 20th century began with a world at uneasy peace. Between the end of the 19th century and WWI, the U.S. Navy developed some new weapons. For example, in April 1900 the Navy accepted its first operational submarine, USS Holland. SUBMARINES The Navy continued to experiment with the development of submarines throughout the next decade. One of the main problems continued to be the gasoline engine—it heated up and gave off fumes that overcame many of the crew. The gasoline engine was replaced by the diesel engine. The first diesel engines were installed in the USS Skipjack (SS 24) and the USS Sturgeon (SS 25). These new engines required no complicated ignition or sparking systems, produced fewer fumes, and were cheaper to operate. The diesel engine and electric battery remained as the main propulsion systems for submarines until nuclear power emerged in the 1950s. DESTROYERS Destroyers had been used primarily to deliver torpedo attacks. With the development of the submarine, they became submarine hunters. Construction of our first destroyer, which displaced 420 tons, began in 1899. Destroyers proved so successful that building these ships began on a large scale. From 1892 to 1914, the start of World War I, over 50 destroyers were built; and 273 were ordered during the war. CRUISERS AND BATTLESHIPS The battleship resulted from the major changes in ship design that took place during the 19th century. Battleships carried heavy guns and corresponding armor protection. The United States had begun building its battlewagons in the late 1880s; each succeeding class had more firepower than the one before. 5-12 Student Notes:

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