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The First Battle Fleet To Circumnavigate The World
Speak softly and carry a big stick
As the final page of the 19th century turned over into the 20th century the United States was at a crossroads in terms of its navy. The victory over the flailing Spanish in the Spanish-American War had left the United States in possession of a series of far flung maritime possessions that encircled the globe. But the US navy did not have the prestige or the manpower that the other Great Power navies had.
President Theodore Roosevelt knew that the US needed to catch up in terms of its navy deployment. Roosevelt launched a massive modernization project aimed at bringing the US navy up to speed. But battleships in port did nothing to show off their size and prowess. In order to show off the new fleet Roosevelt came up with an ambitious plan that would send 16 battleships on a route that completely circumnavigated the globe. A first for the United States and a first for the world.
The Great White Fleet
The tour was very much a live example of speak softly and carry a big stick. On its face the fleet was embarking on a goodwill tour of the world’s…
