To Rule the Waves: How the British Navy Changed the Modern World

Difficult choice between 3 and 4, started off great but as it developed the authors obsession with the Royal Navy to the exclusion of almost all else grated - plus his continuing reference to the British Navy, whatever that is, rather that the correct title, The Royal Navy (RN). He seemed latterly only to cover success, ignoring failure, eg no mention of Zeebrugge in 1918. Equally, how can the defence of Britain in 1940 concentrate only on the RN with no mention of the Royal Air Force (RAF) who gained and held air superiority. Indeed, the need for of joint operations is lost- Taranto would have been unachievable without RAF reconnaissance. Finally, he seems to believe that only the RN and the Royal Marines were involved in the Falklands War. Apart from a piece on Lt Col H Jones VC, The Paras get only a passing mention, whilst the other troops involved are not mentioned at all. Neither does he include any mention of the Fleet Air Arms Sea Harriers without whom the operation would have been impossible. There are many more examples but these will suffice. The author also seemed to believe the UK should have maintained its large blue water fleet into the current century! Despite my the book is a good history of the RN and its affect on the world.