MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF NAVAL SCIENCE

NASC 1022

Sea Power and Maritime Affairs

Spring Term 2010

“The study of history lies at the foundation of all sound military conclusions and
practice.”
- Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan

Professor of Naval Science: Captain William Radomski, U.S. Navy

Class Instructor: Lieutenant Commander Keith Sherer, U.S. Navy
Office: Old Gym N-107
Office Hours: “Open Door Policy” from 0800-1600
Office Phone: (414) 288-6032
Cell Phone: (414) 403-8478
E-mail: keith.sherer@marquette.edu
Sections: 101: Mon, Wed, Fri 0800-0850
102: Mon, Wed, Fri 0900-0950
Classroom: Naval ROTC “Aviation Classroom” Old Gym N-205
Website: Desire 2 Learn (d2l.mu.edu)
Readings: - Sea Power, E. B. Potter, 2nd edition, U.S. Naval Institute (D2L)
- In Peace and War, Kenneth J. Hagan
- Historical Atlas of the U. S. Navy, Craig L. Symonds, U.S. Naval
Institute

Objectives: The course explores naval history with a focus on the United States Navy and
Marine Corps. Assigned readings, lectures, classroom discussions, films and research papers are
intended to provide a basis for:

 Knowing the significant events of world and American naval history.

 Comprehending the evolution of sea power and its effects on world and American
history.

 Understanding the fundamental national interests of the United States and the uses
and limits of the naval service and other armed forces in furthering those interests.

Marquette Core Curriculum: At the completion of core studies, the student will be able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the discipline of history, in particular the application of
historical methodologies in the formulation of plausible interpretations of human behavior in
past centuries.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of how societies develop over centuries through the complex
interaction of socio-economic, political, religious, and other cultural forces including
historical memories constructed by successive generations.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of continuities and differences between the past and present.
Grading Criteria:
Homework/Quizzes 20%
Class Participation 10%
Presentation 20%
Midterm Exam 25%
Final Exam 25%

Grading Standards:

93-100 A 73-77 C
88-92 AB 68-72 CD
83-87 B 63-67 D
78-82 BC < 63 F

Class Preparation: Students will be required to take part in discussions about course material
during each lesson. Accomplishing assigned reading prior to class is vital to interesting,
informative, and thought-stimulating discussions. Initially, quizzes will be given to ensure
students are keeping up with the material. If the instructor is convinced, based on classroom
discussion that students are covering their assigned reading, quizzes will be replaced with take-
home homework. Learning objectives for the lessons are available on the website. Students
should complete the reading assignment prior to class with learning objectives for that class in
mind and using the following framework built around seven key themes:

 Foreign Policy - What policies were followed or considered? Was military force a viable option?
Were the policies appropriate given the circumstances of the day? Were the policies appropriate
given anecdotal evidence? What was the attitude of U.S. citizens toward other countries? Were there
threats to U.S. national interests?

 Strategy — Did strategies accurately reflect capabilities? What were the missions of the naval
service? Did strategies satisfy those missions? How were strategies defined and developed?

 Technology — What was available? How did changes in technology affect the capabilities of naval
forces? How did changes in technology affect the strategies and tactics used?

 Political Direction — Did civilian leaders understand the unique requirements of the naval forces and
naval combat? How effectively were naval forces managed?

 Inter-Service Relations — What was the relationship between the naval service and other branches of
the armed forces? Did inter-service rivalries impact on strategic direction?

 Naval Leadership — What was the organizational structure of the naval service? Were leaders
effective? What types of organizations were employed?

 World Geography — Where did the event take place? How did geography affect policies, strategies,
and tactics?

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Lecture Slides: Slides for each lecture can be obtained from the course website. They will be
posted in Microsoft Power Point format. Students who are unable to obtain notes should contact
the instructor. It is recommended that students print out the slides prior to each lecture so that
they can follow along and take notes.

Attendance: There is no excuse for failing to notify the instructor prior to class if circumstances
prevent class attendance. Unexcused absences will affect class participation grades as well as
aptitude grades on midshipman evaluations. Students will be responsible for missed material due
to any excused or unexcused absence.

Current Events: Students should stay informed of current events regarding U.S. foreign policy
and the Armed Forces. Brief discussions may occur at the beginning or end of each class.
Participation in these discussions will count toward the class participation portion of the
students’ grades.

Exams: There will be 2 non-cumulative exams. Types of questions will include true-false,
multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, short answer, and essay.

Presentation: Each student will give a presentation. Topics will require research beyond the
course lessons and readings. Students are in no way bound to the topics listed below but
must choose a topic that is based on naval history. The presentation should be 8 to 10
minutes in length, formatted into a Power Point slide show, and well-researched from several
different sources. Sources must be listed on a “References” slide. Students must have their
topic approved by the instructor. Two or more students in the same section may not use the
same topic. Topics are available on a first come, first serve basis. Topics may bridge over
several time periods if there is a common theme. The rubric for the presentations is on D2L.

The final day to select a topic is Friday, 5 February.

Examples of Possible Presentation Topics:

Galley Warfare
Sea Power in the Seven Years' War
American Revolution — European navies
American Revolution — American sea power
Early Naval Policy (1783-1812) — Foreign policy, neutrality, free trade
Early Naval Policy (1783-1812) — U.S. role in Napoleonic conflicts
Growth and Development (1815-1860) — Navy organization during expansion
Civil War — Joint operations of the Army and the Navy
Civil War — Confederate naval strategy
Post-Civil War Era — Technological developments, impacts on naval strategy
Alfred Thayer Mahan — Influence on future naval leaders and the strategy and tactics used in
the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II
American Imperialism — Impact of the Philippines
American Imperialism — Impact of the Panama Canal
World War I — Contributions and conduct of naval forces in unlimited warfare
World War I — Gallipoli
World War I — Battle of Jutland
The Treaty Navy — Impacts and analysis of treaty limits on warships

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World War II — Atlantic Theatre
World War II — Pacific Theatre
World War II — Pearl Harbor, lessons and analysis
World War II — Battle of Midway
Korean War
Cuban Missile Crisis
Vietnam — Lessons and analysis
Vietnam — North Vietnamese government propaganda & communist doctrine
Maritime Strategy 1980-1989 — 600-ship Navy justifications and effects
Bosnia/Kosovo — NATO doctrine and tactics
War on Terror — Balance of freedom and security
Afghanistan — Importance of U.S. Navy
Iraq — Tactics, lessons, predictions
The Nuclear Navy
Naval Air Power
Evolution of Amphibious Doctrine
Future role of the U.S. Navy

Academic Honesty:
I will adhere to the College of Arts and Sciences academic honesty policy until further notice.
Acts of academic dishonesty may include, but are not limited to:
 Copying material from a web page and submitting it as one’s own work.
 Quoting extensively from a document without making proper references to the source.
 The illegitimate use of materials in any form during a quiz or an examination.
 Copying answers from the quiz or examination paper of another student.
 Plagiarizing or falsifying materials of information used in the completion of any
assignment which is graded or evaluated as the student’s individual effort.
See me if you need further clarification on academic honesty.

Final Note: Learning from the history of sea power is an important part of leadership training for
midshipmen. The goal of the course is not to produce military historians, but rather officers who are
capable of leading Sailors and Marines into combat. The amount of knowledge gained from the class
will depend on the amount of effort put forth during study and discussions.

"Thrice happy is the nation that has a glorious history. Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win
glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who
neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory
nor defeat."
- President Theodore Roosevelt