At the dawn of the twentieth century, Imperial Germany emerged as a formidable naval power, building the High Seas Fleet into ...

During World War II, Japan’s fleet was large and qualitatively peerless, but unsupported by a broader defense-industrial base. The United States finds itself in the same position today.

Tirpitz’ “risk-fleet theory” was a debacle for Imperial Germany. But it could work for China—now playing the role of the United States during its turn-of-the-century rise to hemispheric eminence.