Mahan’s books influenced U.S. efforts to become a world power primarily by

Mahan’s books influenced U.S. efforts to become a world power primarily by

A) advocating overseas expansion

B) emphasizing the need for protectionist tariffs

C) demonstrating the political risks of foreign trade

D) arguing against forming overseas alliances

Answer: A) advocating overseas expansion

Alfred Thayer Mahan, a greatly recognized naval strategist, and scholar, wrote outstanding books including The Role of Sea Power in World History (1890) which was the base of the idea which turned the United States into a world power. In Mahan’s writings war at sea is stressed and the development and maintenance of a strong US Navy with extensive ocean bases and colonies was promoted. He maintained that the country’s economic interest and safety require command of the sea routes and connectivity to the international trade routes. Both Mahan’s theories and his vision truly corresponded to the US administration and leaders, thus pushing down the way towards the foreign activity and acquisition of overseas territories and naval superiority. His writings provided a philosophical support for the fact that the US should exert itself more in the world arena and that it should do this by developing naval dominance, owning countries by colonial conquest and by overall global presence.