Technological Change and the United States Navy, 1865–1945

Authors

James R. FitzSimonds

Abstract

This is not a technological history of the U.S. Navy per se but rather an explora- tion of how the dominant culture of the Navy’s leadership drove specific techno- logical choices in the transition from the sailing ship of the line to the battle- ship and then to the aircraft carrier. McBride’s thesis centers on two points: that the organization and culture of the U.S. Navy have traditionally been defined by its capital ships; and that new technol- ogies challenging the relevance of the current capital ship are generally resisted by senior leaders, who seek both to main- tain control over change and to inhibit any developments that suggest a transfer of power to individuals with the skills, functions, and organizational relation- ships of a new “technological paradigm.”

Recommended Citation

FitzSimonds, James R. (2002) "Technological Change and the United States Navy, 1865–1945," Naval War College Review: Vol. 55: No. 1, Article 21.
Available at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol55/iss1/21