The Blue Age: How the US Navy Created Global Prosperity--And Why We're in Danger of Losing It

The Blue Age: How the US Navy Created Global Prosperity--And Why We're in Danger of Losing It

  • Downloads:5442
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2021-08-31 16:21:02
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Gregg Easterbrook
  • ISBN:1541742540
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

The US Navy brought half a century of peace and free trade to the world’s waterways。 But climate change and rising nationalism threaten to end this blue age。
 
For decades, the Navy has stood sentinel over crucial waterways, ensuring safe passage of goods from nearly all nations。 The result is the longest phase of peace on the waters since the Phoenicians, with rising living standards, more (total) jobs, and the dramatic decline of poverty in Asia。
 
But these prosperous times could be at an end。 Today China is building warships at an extraordinary pace。 India, Japan, Vietnam, and Europe are responding with more fighting ships。 What will result from China’s rising naval might, particularly in the South China Sea? As ocean resources are shaped by climate change and new discoveries, will the world share them or fight over them? What will happen if America turns against free trade? Without American investment, the world could see a rise of supply shortages and seagoing conflict that would dwarf the impact of the container ship stuck in the Suez Canal。
 
Surveying naval history, economics, environmental threats, and great-power politics, The Blue Age makes an urgent argument about our oceans’ vital importance to the peace and prosperity of our global community。

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Reviews

Janet

Date reviewed/posted: May 23, 2021Publication date: September 7, 2021When life for the entire galaxy and planet has turned on its end, you are continuing to #maskup and #lockdown to be in #COVID19 #socialisolation as the #thirdwave (#fourthwave #fifthwave?) is upon us, superspeed readers like me can read 300+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today。I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in Date reviewed/posted: May 23, 2021Publication date: September 7, 2021When life for the entire galaxy and planet has turned on its end, you are continuing to #maskup and #lockdown to be in #COVID19 #socialisolation as the #thirdwave (#fourthwave #fifthwave?) is upon us, superspeed readers like me can read 300+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today。I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review。 From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸。The imperial dominance of the US Navy has brought half a century of peace and free trade to the world's waterways。 But climate change and rising nationalism threaten to change that。Most of human history has seen what Teddy Roosevelt called "incessant warfare on the open oceans。" This all changed after World War II, when the US Navy grew into a behemoth。 America has by far the most powerful naval fleet in the world--it currently owns ten full-deck nuclear supercarriers equipped with long-range jets; the rest of the world, combined, has zero。 Its dominance in this arena is so clear and overwhelming that other nations are not even trying to keep up。 This, in turn, has enabled America to stand sentinel over crucial waterways like the Strait of Malacca, ensuring safe passage of goods with little interruption。 But we are entering a new era。 What will happen if we lack the political will to keep spending resources on improving trade between other nations? Will China's rising economic influence and regional aggression cause us to pull ships out of the South China Sea, or result in a conflict between our navies, however, mismatched? And what will happen if new shipping lanes are opened near the Arctic Circle, or other places changed by global warming? Surveying both decades of naval history and a world of contemporary politics, this skillful blend of research and reportage makes a unique and urgent argument about the future of global trade。This is an excellently written and presented book that will appeal to lovers of history, current events and military history。 It was meticulously researched and I learned a tonne of things I did not know, which is what I like about books I review as I can spout information at hubby at relevant times so he can roll his eyes at me and call me Janet-o-pedia。 I will highly recommend this book to the patrons, friends and book clubs that I know will want to devour it。As always, I try to find a reason to not rate with stars as I simply adore emojis (outside of their incessant use by "🙏-ed Social Influencer Millennials/#BachelorNation survivors/Tik-Tok and YouTube Millionaires/snowflakes / literally-like-overusers etc。 " on Instagram and Twitter。。。 Get a real job, people!) so let's give it 🛳 🛳 🛳 🛳 🛳  。。。more