Battle Line: The United States Navy 1919-1939

I bought this book on the basis of the two positive reviews and must say that I was disappointed.The authors clearly had access to a large body of research and background information. It is doubly frustrating then that they seemed to be determined to withhold so much of it. We get tantalising excerpts but the opportunity to provide a "comprehensive view" (as per the editorial review) is missed.For example, the authors frequently refer to the Fleet Problems, the large scale exercises carried out by the US Navy in the 1920s and 1930s. It would have been very helpful, not to say obvious, to include a list of these Problems, with dates, locations and commanders. But such a list will not be found in this book and the reader has to rely on the brief snippets the authors provide.The best part of the book is the photographs, many of which will be unfamiliar as they are not from the wartime period.This book as far as it goes is a "good read". But it could have been so much better.

of policy and procedures of the "interwar" Navy that makes it clear that although the "battleline " of battleships was viewed as the primary source of naval power initially, by the late 1930's the uses and power of the carriers were becoming more evident.

Thomas and Trent Hone, the father and son authors of Battle Line: The United States Navy 1919-1939 tackled a very crucial period in USN history and did it very concisely and well. The between wars period is often overlooked or misunderstood. Literally there was a revolution taking place within the Navy that was driven by technology (the aircraft, carrier & submarine) as well as new missions (amphibious assualt). As with any change forced upon an institution, there is always reluctance and nay-sayers. The innovators that brought about reliable submarines, carrier task forces and aviation development in this pre-war period are the un-sung heroes that deserve recognition and our gratitude. Battle Line examines these trends and the people that took the lead in developing these capabilities that still serve us today in our modern Navy. I would recommend this book to all who are interested in 20th century history as well the arm chair military history buffs. My hat is off to these authors - BZ!

“Battle Line: The United States Navy 1919-1939” by the father and son team of Thomas C. Hone and Trent Hone, is a solidly researched snap-shot of the Interwar U.S. Navy intended for a general audience vice scholars. In their typically readable and concise style the perceptive Hones provide their readers with an appreciation of the professional force that withstood and reversed the initial Japanese and German onslaughts, then provided the cadre of the burgeoning juggernaut that pummeled the Axis navies into oblivion..The Hones first examine the “three navies” within the U.S. Navy during this period: the legacy fleet of World War I; the force of carrier conversions and heavy cruisers spawned by the Washington Treaty; and the modern vessels birthed by the London Treaty and the Great Depression which were intended to flesh out what the treaties allowed, put yard workers back to work, and provide the seeds of mobilization. A second chapter takes a look at the technology of the ships, a field that was in tremendous flux during this period. From ships, the Hones move to men, examining the duties and lives of sailors and then officers..Having established the working background, the Hones then pull back the veil on Battle Line tactics to which many authors allude with only the most cursory of understanding. After examining the “old” technology of the battleships, the authors proceed to address the new technologies of naval aviation and submarines..Another area the Hones give its due that is often spoken of with only cursory knowledge is a discussion of the administrative structure of the Navy and how it functioned as an organization. From there they move on to addressing the perennial “red-haired step-child” of the Naval Service, the Marine Corps and its impact on the Navy at large. Finally they examine the peculiar institution of the Asiatic Fleet and the experiences of the men serving to show the flag and protect Americans and their interests in China during this volatile period..Three appendices address the provisions of the Washington and London naval treaties; the Commanders-In-Chief of the U.S. Fleet, Chiefs of Naval Operations and Secretaries of the Navy between the wars; and snap-shots of the fleet structure in 1922, 1937 and 1938..Throughout their work, the Hones take a very clear-eyed view, willing to jettison oft-quoted but unfounded stereo-types to take a look at the more complex picture beneath. One such issue, for example, is their rejection of the popular narrative claiming “battleship admirals” attempted to hold back naval aviation, for a more nuanced look at the far more complex and multiple dynamics involved..I highly recommend this book and suggest it be read as a complement to the more opinionated and less meticulously researched “The Treaty Navy” by James Hammond. If forced to choose between the two, read “Battle Line.” Additional reading complementary to this work includes Nofi’s “To Train the Fleet for War” and Felker’s “Testing American Sea Power” as well as O’Hara’s “On Seas Contested.”.This review is a repost as Amazon does not appear to be properly cross-connecting this product.

Battle Line is a very ambitious book, endeavouring to cover the development of the US Navy between 1919 and 1939 in just 188 pages (as well as a good collection of photographs with informative captions). Chapters cover subjects such as sailors, officers, managing the navy, battle line tactics, submarines, naval aviation and the effect of marines on the navy. The writing is excellent and the thread of discussion is generally very good.That the book largely succeeds in providing a picture of the USN between the two world wars is strongly to its credit, but the many threads the authors try and draw together in such a short space of time mean that key developments (for example, dual-purpose guns as standard on destroyers, or the developments in tachymetric anti-aircraft fire control that lead to the Mk 37 director, or the impact of funding and bureaucratic issues that lead to the debacle that was the US submarine and destroyer torpedoes in 1942 and into 1943) aren’t mentioned (beyond a passing reference to torpedo issues, but with no mention from whence those issues came). While some might argue these are points of detail, things like the torpedo issues highlighted bureaucratic problems that had a material impact on the war effort and might have been worth at least some coverage.However, that’s not to take away from the value of the book. It’s very well researched and referenced, with the sources providing recommendations for further reading. It’s easily recommended, and a great overview of the interwar USN.