Theodore Roosevelt s Impact On Theu.s Navy - 1182 Words

Stefano Korkotas HH104: American Naval History Leader’s Paper Theodore Roosevelt’s Impact on the U.S Navy Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States, as well as the Secretary of the Navy prior to his presidency. The man was a known intellectual, with strong diplomatic skills and a strong sense of accomplishing the mission. One of these missions was the establishment of a strong permanent Navy that would become one of the largest in the world, establishing the United States as imperialistic country, ready to make its mark. The building of the â€Å"Great White Fleet† is proof of this mission, as he established the 2nd largest most modern Navy in the world at the time. Roosevelt writes to a close friend named Cecil Spring-Rice, I have steadfastly preached a big navy, and I have with equal steadfastness seen that our navy is practiced until I have reason to believe that ship for ship it is as efficient as any.† 1 Within a short period of time he developed new naval tactics, nearly doubled the enlisted streng th of the Navy, and increased the number of officers by about twenty per cent. As well as enlarged classes at the United States Naval Academy which provided a constantly increasing stream of new officers. 2 All these factors are proof of the strong impact Roosevelt had on the U.S Navy for years to come. The importance of Theodore Roosevelt for the modern day U.S Navy that exists today is almost second to none. The world at the time was changing, and more