Description :

This book examines britains complex relationship with the mine in the years 1900 1915 the development of mine warfare represented a unique mix of challenges and opportunities for britain in the years before the first world war. The mine represented the antithesis of british maritime culture in material form and attempts were made to limit its use under international law at the same time mine warfare offered the royal navy a solution to its most difficult strategic problem. At the same time mine warfare offered the royal navy a solution to its most difficult strategic problem richard dunley explores the contested position occupied by the mine in the attitudes of british policy makers and in doing so sheds new light on the overlapping worlds of culture strategy and international law. Richard dunley is a lecturer in history at unsw canberra who has published widely on british defence strategic and foreign policy in the late 19th and early 20th centurieshis most recent book is britain and the mine 1900 1915 culture strategy and international lawimage library of congress. Abstract mine warfare remained a crucial feature in royal navy planning for mounting a blockade of germany the chapter explores how this role evolved as the strategic circumstances changed and how the attempts to keep british mining developments secret impacted on the influence of the technology