Who guest features on Pod#4?
CDR Benjamin ‘BJ’ Armstrong, USN is a former Search and Rescue and Special Warfare pilot. CDR Armstrong obtained his PhD in War Studies from the Kings College London and is currently a professor of naval history at the Unites States Naval Academy. BJ has published three books, including: Small Boats and Daring Men: The History of the Early American Navy. CDR Armstrong has routinely written for US Naval Institute’s Proceedings and multiple other publications, with his full publication list available here.
What do we discuss?
- What constitutes naval irregular warfare and how was it used by the early American navy during great power competition? CDR Armstrong highlights definitions, drawing on historical examples
- Why do naval professionals seem to prefer fleet-on-fleet or squadron-on-squadron battles in history? Are we reading enough of Alfred Thayer Mahan’s work and what is the Mahanian prism?
- What was Theodore Roosevelt’s role in shaping the US Navy both practically and in American public memory?
- Key highlights on the life of John Paul Jones including battles against HMS Drake and Spears and with the French and Russian navies
- What can contemporary small naval powers learn from the history of the early American Navy?
- CDR Armstrong accepts our Sailor’s Three challenge and provides one particularly compelling answer (hint: the autonomous vehicle and future of pilots debate, but subsurface!)
The opinions and comments made in this Pod and on this website do not represent the official position of any government, organisation or entity.